While Your Lips Are Still Red
by x-psychicfire-x
Summary: 'Footsteps behind me alerted me to his presence. "What are you doing here, dobe?" I asked quietly, hoping 'she' wouldn't hear me with her sensitive ears. "You're taking a great risk being here." I warned him. "I don't care - I need to save you from this. You deserve better." More footsteps. I tensed and turned to look into his beautiful, cerulean eyes. Pleading.' SasuNaru. Yaoi.
1. Prologue: Vampires 101

**DISCLAIMER: **Even though I desperately wished I did – I do not own 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden'. If they were real, Naruto would be my best friend and Sasuke would be mine!

**PAIRINGS: ** SasuNaru (main), AkuSasu (forced relationship), SaiSaku

**A/N: **No flames or mean comments, please. Saying 'No offence' only intensifies the offence felt.

Hey! My name's Grace (A.K.A x-psychicfire-x)! Thanks for reading my 3rd Naruto fanfic! This is my first yaoi story featuring SasukexNaruto (YAY!), so please be kind :D If you like this story, check out:

_**Paper Cranes and Cherry Blossoms **_(a SasuSaku story) and **_The Uchiha Sharingan Vision _**(beware my OC is a bit of a Mary Sue, unfortunately. I apologise for this :S)

Also, this is the ONLY chapter that will be in the third person – this is just the prologue to what happened to Sasuke before the events of chapter one onwards. The rest of the chapters will be in first person, alternating between the point of views of Sasuke and Naruto.

**THEME SONG: **This Night - Black Lab

* * *

**VAMPIRES 101.**

"_. . .I could feel the hot breath on my neck. Then the skin of my throat began to tingle as one's flesh does when the hand that is to tickle it approaches nearer, nearer. I could feel the soft, shivering touch of the lips on the super sensitive skin of my throat, and the hard dents of two sharp teeth, just touching and pausing there. I closed my eyes in languorous ecstasy and waited, waited with beating heart." _

**_from Jonathan Harker's Journal_**  
**_(Bram Stoker's Dracula)_**

Fun fact about Vampires: they're not fun. In fact they're a pain in the neck (pun intended).

At least that was the unfortunate case for Sasuke Uchiha who became a Vampire the day he killed his older brother, Itachi Uchiha, and 'forefilled' a pledge to destroy him after he came across Itachi standing over the bloodied mangled bodies of his beloved parents. Sasuke had mistakenly thought that his brother was the cause of their deaths.

He had only been eight years old at the time of his parents demise, Itachi had been thirteen years old. And it did look slightly incriminating at the time for the eight-year old by the fact that his brother Itachi: his hero, the boy he placed on a pedestal and hoped to be just as strong and respected of, was holding a dripping katana with their parents' blood still wet and slick on the polished, hammered medal edge. Now he hated the sight of him and wanted nothing more than to cut him down on the spot.

But, in Itachi's defense, it was hard to see the vampire puncture marks in Fugaku and Mikoto's neck from where Sasuke had been standing at the time. So it seemed only natural for Sasuke to assume the worst and attack Itachi, swearing a bloody revenge against him for the murder of their parents, and obviously not thinking for one moment that maybe Itachi wasn't the one to blame for the attack.

And Itachi hadn't been.

Itachi was just as horrified and enraged when he himself arrived home from training that night to find both his parents dead on the ground from the vampire puncture marks. Although at first, Itachi hadn't seen the vampire puncture marks until both parents unexpectedly rose from the dead and started to attack him.

Not being an idiot, as Uchihas are not notoriously known for stupidity, Itachi put all his ninja training into practise and he immediately stabbed both parents in the heart with a tree branch he had snapped off as he retreated into the family's courtyard, with both vampifed parents chasing him, blood crazed and feral, and came upon the family's large cherry blossom tree. The tree branch was within easy reach for Itachi, and when he snapped away the branch from the tree itself, it became a makeshift stake.

Vampires cannot be killed by anything other than wood to the heart or fire. And in doing what Itachi did, he had freed his parents from living a damned life as Vampires as they instantly reverted to their human forms and collapsed to the ground with blood blossoming on their chests from the freshly pierced wounds.

"Itachi..." whispered Fugaku Uchiha, raising a shaking hand to his eldest son.

Itachi came over to his parents' side, tears spilling out his eyes as he held his mother and father's hands for the last time. Fugaku pulled his son close to whisper in his ear.

"Tell Sasuke...he's made me proud...and that I love him... we...love...him."

Itachi nodded, blinking tears from his eyes. Fugaku smiled proudly at his son and wiped the tears from his Itachi's cheek with his callused thumb. Mikoto trapped her son's hand between her soft ones and rubbed them soothingly, trying to comfort and reassure him that everything would be alright.

"We love you... both so much..." whispered Mikoto.

Itachi kissed his mother and father's hands in a sign of respect and loyalty.

"Protect him." croaked Fugaku and he coughed up blood before succumbing to his wound and ceasing to move. Mikoto following swiftly. Both were dead. Never to return.

"NO! PLEASE KAMI, NO!" sobbed Itachi, clutching to their corpses.

For a few moments after, Itachi stood up, wiping the tears from his eyes and fetched his Katana from his room, hating himself for what he now had to do.

In two swift, accurate swings both heads of his beloved parents were cleaved from the bodies. Fugaku and Mikoto were at peace. And naturally, Sasuke chose that moment to appear. But before Itachi could explain the situation to his kid brother, he instead was fighting to restrain a vengeful Sasuke who looked at him with pure, unadulterated hatred, from killing them.

Sasuke, now fifteen years old, was now kicking himself for jumping to foolish conclusions that day he had found his brother standing over his parents' corpses, looking like he had just killed them. He now knew the truth about what had happened to his parents, and what had now been done to him – albeit against his will.

He would now, never know what his parents' last words had been, as the conveyor of the messages was now lying six-feet underground in a pine box wearing a white yukata and decaying, leaving Sasuke unaware of the serious danger he had been in, and also had Sasuke believing that his father saw him as a disappointment and not worthy of his love.

'Danger' was in the form of an attractive young woman named Akumu _(meaning Nightmare in Japanese)_, who was in fact an extremely powerful witch who practised black magic and who was also a Vampire.

On the day Sasuke was changed into a vampire against his will, he had returned to his home after nearly four years from finally 'defeating' his 'traitorous' brother to find Akumu waiting for him, coquettish smile on her pale, flawless face.

Akumu had been observing Sasuke for about the same four years after she had killed Sasuke's parents (they had been food for her) and had fallen in love with Sasuke, deciding that he was the one who would help her become unstoppable and more powerful than she had ever dreamed to be, and she decided to make Sasuke hers forever. So Akumu decided to give Sasuke the option of living forever, and being extremely powerful and young until the end of time, provided of course that he promised to love her and only her. Instead of the alternative, which is simply taking him there and then.

That wouldn't be much fun... for her. The love of a Vampire not only is dangerous, but binding and unbreakable.

_"Hello stranger, haven't seen you around here lately." _ Akumu had said pleasantly to Sasuke, much to his annoyance.

Sasuke recalled that at the time her voice seemed rather unusual to him – a mix between alluring and inhuman. But also at the time, Sasuke had looked at Akumu like she was a particularly nasty bug that he viewed as dangerous and needed to squashed quickly.

_"Get out." _ He had said abruptly and coldly, and had shoved her aside to get to the front door, where he lethargically started removing his sandals.

Undeterred, she followed him, which only succeeded in pissing the Uchiha off further. He paused briefly to retrieve his sword which was lying innocently by his side where he had placed it and unsheathed it with a steady hissing noise, that if Akumu had've been alive and human would've caused her to shudder in fear and made her turn and flee for her life, which was Sasuke's original plan. However, the action only made Akumu stop in her tracks and a cocky grin spread across her face.

_"I do not particularly want to fight you. Not because I would not enjoy hacking you limb from limb - I would not have any problem with that – it would be because I am tired and I wish to go to sleep. Now fuck off, or lose a limb." _

Sasuke threatened, pointing the sword tip at Akumu's throat. Akumu's smile broadened and she continued walking towards Sasuke, ignoring the blade.

_"How do you feel about, an immortal life?" _ Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her, both because she hadn't left and because of her random question.

_"What?" _

_"Hmmm. How about being more powerful than you have ever been in your entire existence?" _ She continued, as though Sasuke hadn't said a word.

Sasuke couldn't say that he wasn't tempted by the idea of being powerful. But his vendetta on his brother was over now. He was able to get on with life – despite the fact that he had this painful, nagging feeling in his chest that wouldn't cease. It had started throbbing the moment he had killed his brother.

_"No thank you. I am fine the way I am." _

He replaced his sword back into the holster and turned away from the annoying girl in front of him, sliding open the door to his home.

_"Now I will say this for the final time. Remove yourself from my parents home." _

Sasuke putting his sword back was just what Akumu was waiting for. She knew the moment Sasuke had told her to get lost that she was not going to be able to persuade or woo Sasuke into being hers. So she decided to take him by force and when it was over, making him love her. Sasuke was blissfully ignorant of the calculating expression on Akumu's face, as he was intent on getting into his home, drawing a bath and relaxing in it before going to sleep.

So he was caught off guard when strong hands suddenly wrapped themselves around his face, cutting off his air supply and seizing his shoulder in an iron grip. He fought savagely, using his taijutsu and ninjutsu to release himself from the impossibly strong hold his captor had on him, but only succeeded in wearing himself out even further. Akumu let out an inhuman laugh that sent chills down Sasuke's spine.

_"What are you?"_ Sasuke whispered, clutching helplessly to Akumu's arm which was pressing on his windpipe. He felt weak, helpless and completely vulnerable – he hated this, he hadn't felt like this since the first time he trained against the missing nin, notorious criminal and Snake Sannin, Lord Orochimaru as a weak genin seeking power and a way to put away his brother for good.

Struggling against his bondage pointlessly, Sasuke froze and almost retched when he felt and smelt hot, putrid breath on his neck. He shuddered again as cold fingers trailed slowly down his neck and he gulped feeling his Adam's apple bouncing on the arm constricting his windpipe, and then gasped when felt something sharp touch the pulse point of his neck and pierce the skin slightly but not going any further.

_"It all depends on what you believe, Sasuke." _Akumu murmured into Sasuke's ear and then playfully licked behind his ear, but at the same time increased the pressure on his windpipe, causing Sasuke to flinch and pale slightly.

_"Can you imagine yourself not aging, having more power than you can possibly dream of, and owning the strength of ten ninjas combined while the world around you shifts and changes?" _

Sasuke nodded, not liking where this was going. Everything this insane woman spoke of sounded like paradise, but also sounded pretty damn lonely – for the past four years, he had been lonely. And he had gotten used to this fact. But he never liked it, even though he had gotten accustomed to it. Sasuke also had never even known true love from anyone except his parents and even his brother while he had been growing up. All he really ever knew was death – from people dying all around him either from natural causes or by his own hand if someone ever dared to stand in his way.

Sure, the idea of living forever, not aging a day, and being extremely powerful had its perks. But Sasuke's real goal was to someday see his parents' loving faces again – and for this reason, Sasuke did not want to become immortal. He wanted to fall in love and eventually get married, maybe have heirs, his heirs producing his grandchildren and then living out his life to become an old man dying warm and safe in his bed with his loving family and friends all around him.

Dying the honourable death.

_"I have no desire for what you speak of." _Sasuke managed to croak, clawing feebly on Akumu's arms.

The strangle hold increased. The sharp touch, which was obviously fangs pressed on Sasuke's pulse point, drew itself deeper into Sasuke's skin causing him to cry out in pain slightly.

_"I was willing to play fair, love. But you have no choice in this matter – you will be mine and no one else's. Prepare yourself, because this is REALLY going to hurt." _Akumu promised Sasuke and slowly, lovingly, she slipped her fangs easily into the soft flesh of Sasuke's throat and began to drink.

Sasuke screamed in unbearable agony, praying for someone to help him. The world around him started fading away, getting blacker and blacker, the pain fading away as his body went numb and cold. Finally just before his heart gave out, Akumu pulled back and opened her own vein just above her breasts. She pulled Sasuke's head towards the weeping wound and positioned Sasuke's lips towards it. Sasuke realised what she was doing and moaned feebly, resisting her once more.

_"Drink damn you! Or you will die, do you want to die this way? Your soul will forever be damned this way if you do not!" _

Sasuke did not want to drink from her wound, but neither did he want to die this way. So against his better judgement, Sasuke obliged, sealing his fate in becoming a Vampire. The first pull was revolting and Sasuke immediately wanted to spit the blood out again, but Akumu's hand stopped him from pulling away as she hissed in pleasure, enjoying the pain of having her blood taken from her. The second pull was slightly better and after the sixth pull Sasuke instantly could taste the flavour of matured wine on his tastebuds and he started drinking hungrily, pressing Akumu's body to his.

When he drunk his fill, he pulled away from Akumu's body and looked down at himself in horror. He had become everything he hated and he could feel an unknown power came from deep within him, but the power felt foreign and he desperately wanted to claw it from his chest.

_"NO!" _ He roared and pounded the ground with his fists as Akumu looked on triumphantly at her new slave and lover.


	2. Cry Little Sister

**DISCLAIMER: **Even though I desperately wished I did – I do not own 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden'. If they were real, Naruto would be my best friend and Sasuke would be mine!

**PAIRINGS: ** SasuNaru (primary pairing), AkuSasu (secondary pairing/forced relationship), SaiSaku

**A/N: **No flames or mean comments, please. Saying 'No offence' only intensifies the offence felt.

**THEME SONG: **You're Not Alone - Saosin

* * *

**CRY LITTLE SISTER  
**

_"I'm no lunatic man. I'm a sane man fighting for his soul."  
- R.M Renfield (Bram Stoker's Dracula)  
_**  
**

_**100 YEARS LATER - SASUKE'S P.O.V  
**_

I jolted awake and sat up sharply panting like I had just run 100 miles in under ten seconds. If my heart were alive and steadily beating in my chest, it would've broken my ribs by now I was so shaken by the dream. But unfortunately, it wasn't a dream. It was a horrible memory.

_My memory..._

I groaned and scratched my head as my eyes registered with the limited darkness of the room I had about two seconds ago been unassumingly sleeping in. I saw candles flickering from ornate candlestick holders with hardened candle-wax drippings, casting shadows on the stone walls of the tower and I felt the caressing night air blowing in from the balcony nearby, disturbing the hanging drapes on the wall that were in varying shades of blood red, pinks, purples and even black.

_Ugh. I hate those colours – except probably the red and black..._

On one side of the rounded room, was a floor to ceiling mirror within a golden frame adorned with large circular holes around the sides. On the other side of the room was the balcony I had mentioned before, which if one should walk out onto it, they would instantly receive a spectacular view of the surrounding forest of the Fire Country and of Konohagakure (also commonly referred to as the 'Hidden Leaf Village' or simply Konoha), the Major Village of the Fire Country where lived both Leaf Ninja and civilians.

Konoha had once been my home.

It had been around for many years and it had been ruled over by several extremely powerful and beloved Hokages. I'm not sure if I can truly call Konoha 'home' any more, considering I spend every night preying on the helpless, innocent villagers and former shinobi allies who related to ancestors that I had grown up with (more or less - I was and still am a very withdrawn creature), to quench my endless thirst – and it sickened me.

A rustle of sheets alerted me to somebody sleeping beside me on the floor stirring, and I looked over and tensed up immediately, feeling the unmistakable emotion of loathing. Lying beside me was the bitch who had made me who I was for all these years: A soulless, dead creature. Capable of feeling _nothing_ and capable of performing acts of unspeakable evil: Akumu.

I never wanted this life, this hell. I should've died years ago and been in blissful ignorance of who I had become, instead of living day after day, night after night, the unlife of the living dead.

Suddenly, images of what Akumu and I did hours ago drifted back through my mind and I shuddered in disgust at what I had been forced to do to her.

To satisfy her, please her.

Akumu told me on more than one occasion that I was _hers_, and that I was only ever going to be hers, until the end of time itself. I hated her, and yet I had to lie through my fangs about how much I truly 'adored' my mistress, and that I would do anything for her – even die for her, I privately hoped.

Although, when I mentioned that part out loud, she got pissed and pinned me to the floor, making me promise never to make another promise like that again. Akumu is everything I have left to blame for condemning me to this life of debauchery, murder and blood-lust, and I wanted nothing more than to see her repulsive decrepit body staked to an oblivion and have the pleasure of removing her head myself.

Even if I had to remove it with my bare hands. Just the thought of hearing the sound of her bones breaking sounded satisfying in my own head and I felt my fangs elongating and the adrenaline rush crept up my spine, fuelling me, strengthening my muscles... I moved to remove myself from her arms so I wasn't tempted to follow through with my fantasy when sharp nails raked over the tender flesh of my chest and I hissed from the sting.

I looked down and saw the playful, scolding expression on her face. Oh yeah, I had committed the ultimate offence – I had moved away when I wasn't supposed to. Privately, I rolled my eyes but I forced a submissive lover's smile on my face, even though it pained me to do so as I looked down at her face and sank back down into the sheets, feeling Akumu snuggling closer and laying her head on my chest.

"And where were you going, lover?" she cooed, nibbling affectionately on my earlobe.

I winced when she nipped it hard enough to draw blood and eagerly licked the wound clean, sealing the wound with her tongue.

_Shit! She's hungry. I don't want to do this any more... _

I thought miserably, and right on cue her stomach rumbled and I tensed up, waiting for the expected demand to be uttered.

"Sasuke, darling. Go and fetch us something young, attractive and powerful for us to share together."

Akumu murmured suductively into my wounded ear. I looked away from her.

"As you wish, Akumu." I muttered in a defeated voice.

She grabbed my face a little too aggressively and I resisted the automatic shinobi instinct to strike first and ask questions later. Akumu turned my head towards her drew me in for a long, passionate kiss, which I suffered through in silence, having had years to get used to this treatment. Finally she broke away and fixed me a devilish smile that I struggled to match.

"And make sure that the human will be good sport. The last few you lured home didn't put up much of a fight." she pouted and I forced an apologetic smile on my face.

"Of course. I'll see what I can do." I droned and moved to get up.

However, Akumu beat me to it and started strutting around the room in the nude. Preferring not to show her my nude body, unless of course I was forced to, which was every single night before we hunted, I remained seated on the ground, making sure the sheet covered everything and averted my gaze from Akumu who was now taking her time getting dressed in a formal red kimono and putting her hideous headdress on which was in the shape of an animal skull with extremely long tusks. Akumu was into the occult.

"I'm going away for awhile, so when I return I expect to see what I asked for waiting for us, chained to the wall."

Inwardly, I cheered about any chance of having Akumu away from me and giving me the freedom I craved desperately. Outwardly, I merely shrugged and pretended that I cared less. Akumu pointed to the opposite wall where some shackles and chains were lying on the floor, and where I had a special compartment hidden in the wall. I started to eye that compartment broodingly as I felt her hand cup my cheek and pulling my gaze over to hers.

I looked up at her.

"And please gag them. The only person I want to hear 'screaming' is you."

She smirked teasingly and suggestively and I cringed resisting the urge to be sick. Akumu moved away and headed for the balcony. Which was the quickest route out of the castle that she and unfortunately I had lived in for almost a century. The old Uchiha mansion I had once lived in was still there, and on those rare occasions where Akumu did leave me alone to my own graces, I went there to maintain the mansion, light incense around my family's shrine as a sign of respect and remembrance to my deceased parents and brother - I learned over time to forgive my brother for the murder of our parents, and I missed him a lot - and maintained my ninja training.

I missed the ninja world that I had taken for granted ever since I passed the exam the Academy to become a genin Ninja, and wished I could be apart of that world once more.

"Don't disappoint me, Sasuke."

Her stupid voice plucks me from my thoughts as I look up to see Akumu blowing me a kiss and winking at me.

"Be seeing you soon, lover."

And then she was gone.

* * *

Dressed in a loose white shirt, loose black ninja pants – which I tied a white rope around to hold both together securely, and my old black sandals and black gloves I retained from my 'kill Itachi, Orochimaru training' days, I immediately set out for Konoha, dreading the task I had set before me: seeking out some innocent, helpless person for Akumu to feast upon and luring them back to the castle. Using the trees as transport, I leapt effortlessly from branch to branch and finally slipped into the idyllic, peaceful village without being spotted by ANBU guard ninja.

The security in this village was laughably easy to evade as I slunk around the village, keeping to the shadows and being cautious about alerting the Villages to my presence. Over the 100 years since I became a vampire, I had made myself infamous in Konoha due to the mysterious deaths among both villagers and Leaf Ninja, where the cause of death was severe blood-loss by e_xsanguination _(or having been drained by a vampire – me.)

I was now known as the 'Vampire Uchiha', and was considered more dangerous than the Nine-Tail Fox demon that once terrorised this village until it mysteriously vanished and was never seen again, much to the villagers relief. If anyone saw me, there were to kill on sight.

_Let them try. I will break them without breaking a sweat myself..._

I was there the day the Nine-Tail Fox Demon – whose name was Kurama – attacked the village, and watched from a safe distance as lives were lost by many ninja trying to defeat the incredibly powerful demon. I was saddened when the one person who defeated the blasted demon, the Fourth Hokage – a handsome young man named Minato Namikaze – gave his life for his beloved village.

Nobody knew exactly where the fox demon went, but it wasn't exactly anybody's favourite topic of choice so nobody really bothered to find out.

And, I admit, I was one of them.

I came up to the side of a nearby building and started look around for easy access to it when I suddenly heard an outraged voice speaking nearby.

"Hey, stop!"

I froze, thinking I had been spotted. _Shit! _

I darted into a nearby opened doorway and flattened myself against the door as I heard the sounds of sandalled feet came closer. I saw the familiar orange-red glow of fire and I instantly shut my eyes thinking that I was boned and was surprised when the sandalled feet rushed past the door and continued away from my hiding place.

_What the? _

I headed for the closed window and heard a snippet of a conversation outside the window.

"Why are we all out here?" a female voice asked curiously.

_My sentiments exactly... _

I thought, frowning warily but continued listening, hoping for a reply to the woman's question. I didn't have to wait long.

"The Hokage is going to tell us all an important message."

_Is that right? _

I thought curiously and I decided that I wanted to see this all for myself. But first I needed to somehow get on the roof of this... _where exactly am I anyway?_ I looked around my hiding place and realised that I had taken refuge inside a highly unsanitary butcher's shop. Everywhere I looked there was clutter, dirt and unwashed chopping boards and knives, and I felt sick at the sight of it.

Moving quickly, I entered what appeared to be a storage area and spied to my delight access to the roof above me. I could've easily made it onto the roof without any trouble, if it wasn't for the fact that I was weakened from lack of blood intake. If I was to get to the roof effortlessly and with minimal noise, I need blood. I wrinkled my nose when I realised where I had to go to get my blood and I reluctantly went back into the death room. Finding the blood wouldn't be hard, because it was a fricken butcher, it was just a matter of finding blood that wasn't contaminated. Eventually, I managed to find what I was looking for and got onto the roof of the butcher's shop without any other problems.

Or so I thought...

I took one step on the tiles on the roof and winced instantly, hissing with pain. The owner of this 'establishment' was obviously taking no chances of being attacked by me or Akumu, so he had hired somebody to place tiles with the Christian cross on them in random places on the roof.

_Fuck! _

Luckily, I noticed that several of the tiles were covered with moss and would've been slippery for humans to stand on, but not for vampires. So I used the moss covered tiles to get to an appropriate stake out place on the roof so I could see the Hokage's address to the villagers and Leaf Ninja, and scope out the appropriate dinner for Akumu to shut her up.

The current Hokage was a fairly tall, light-skinned and extremely buxom 50 something woman named Tsunade, who had the appearance of a 20 something woman due to a transformation technique she had cast upon herself.

_Vain old hag... _I scoffed to myself.

Tsunade had waist-length blonde hair that she had tied back into two loose ponytails, and shoulder-length bangs that framed her heart shaped face that featured sharp light golden-amber eyes and a violet coloured rhombus shaped mark on her forehead that I had heard from snippets of conversation among the villagers and Leaf Ninja was called a Yin Seal.

She stepped out onto the balcony of the Hokage building and a hush went over the crowd.

"My beloved villagers and loyal Ninja. News has come to me that the Vampire Uchiha has been sighted and is on the move again." Tsunade said gravely to the mob of extremely frightened and worried villagers and shinobi.

So the message was about me.

Well that's just great. It's going to make my task harder to accomplish, if people are going to be on alert for me.

"I don't need to remind you all that Uchiha is extremely dangerous and should not be trusted or approached under any circumstances. Should you see him, report him to the nearest Chunin or Jonin immediately. And please, I cannot stress this enough. Be on your guard. Thank you for your patience in this matter."

And with that annoying address she dismissed the crowd and returned to her office. I rolled my eyes.

_Well this just made it ten times harder. I better be selective of who I choose... _

I was about to turn away and head back down the roof to continue my search before sunrise which was only hours away when a loud, boisterous voice rang out making me freeze in my tracks.

"Hey, that's not fair! We can take care of ourselves, we're not babies!"

I looked back over to find the owner of that annoying voice. It belonged to a tall boy dressed in the ugliest colour imaginable: Orange. My eyes widened at the loud colour choice and I pricked my ears up as I heard the pink-haired girl standing next to the boy trying to reason with him.

"Naruto, you idiot. Tsunade knows that, but it's her job to make sure that people don't make unnecessary and risky moves. It's for our own safety."

The boy frowned and looked incredibly frustrated. I frowned too but for different reasons. There was something strange about this one – he was in all intents and purposes a qualified Leaf shinobi indicated by the metal forehead protector he had tied bandanna style around his head, and the way he stood – all military and all business.

'Naruto' was wearing like I had said before an orange and black jumpsuit with a red spiral symbol on his back and two white spiral symbols on the sleeves of his jacket, and a pair of black shinobi sandals. He was blonde and his face was thin and had no traces of baby fat on it at all. But the two unique parts of this young man were the six whisker-like scars on his cheeks, and his eyes which were a cerulean blue colour that were bright and eager and indicated to me that he was a fairly happy person most of the time.

The girl standing next to Naruto whom he called 'Sakura' was tall, slender, curvaceous and had a large forehead, and an air of gracefulness about her. She was dressed in a red and white shirt, black shorts and pink skirt and wore knee-high black shinobi boots. On her hands were black gloves and she wore pink elbow guards. Her bubblegum pink hair was shoulder-length and held back with her forehead protector which was a red ribbon. The only remarkable part of her was her striking, piercing green eyes.

She only held my interest for a split second before I moved on to the second boy whom they called Sai.

'Sai' was dressed in the traditional black ops uniform which consisted of tight, form fitting black pants and an equally tight long sleeved black top that zipped up to his throat which I immediately deemed as highly inappropriate, considering it showed his mid-drift and it made him look gay – though that assumption quickly went out of the window when I saw him snake an arm around Sakura, who didn't seem to protest. In fact, she seemed to lean into the possessive embrace. Sai also had a Katana sword of his own slung on his back that was almost as good as my Katana at home.

"Dickless, relax. Tsunade's message was just friendly advice."

_And he's rude too. Okay then..._

I thought as I watched Naruto's face redden instantly as he glared at the strange young man in front of him who started to smile in a very fake way. Like Sakura, I easily dismissed Sai, but couldn't seem to stop focusing on Naruto – there was definitely something off about the blonde. And then I saw it just for a second – an eerie orange-red aura that rippled off the blonde. I frowned harder this time and activated my sharingan for a thorough inspection of the boy's chakra, and I gasped at what I found.

I realised how incredibly powerful this blonde was. That settled it – Naruto ticked all the boxes Akumu had listed. He was definitely young, couldn't have been any older than perhaps sixteen, he was attractive enough – I really couldn't care less – and I had already proven that he was extremely powerful, and that intrigued me enough to want to know the source of his power. It was just a matter of luring the boy to the castle... and to his untimely fate.

_I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. But I must do this – to keep what sanity have left... _

Time to lead the boy to his... death.

* * *

Naruto suddenly looked up like he could sense somebody watching him and looked around suspiciously for the eyes burrowing into his back. I was glad I hadn't turned off my sharingan, which I used not only to inspect the chakra of my intended victims but I used to lip read.

"Naruto? What's wrong?" asks Sakura, also frowning at the abrupt change in Naruto's attitude and posture.

By now the villagers and leaf ninja had left the area and most likely headed for the safety of their beds. There were only a handful of stranglers around laughing, talking or boozing I realised to my surprise and disgust.

"I dunno. I can just feel somebody watching me." replied the blonde, still looking around in an almost paranoid way while Sakura looked questioningly at Sai for answers but received none as her boyfriend was just as confused as she was, even though it was hard to actually determine what expression this emotionless boy had. Naruto looked around for a few more minutes before finally cerulean eyes met my blood red ones and he gasped in shock.

I smirked at his expression and watched the surprise turned to one of fear when I grinned suggestively at him, showing him my impossibly sharpened teeth which glittered wickedly in the rapidly fading moonlight.

_Shit, the sun's coming! I better quickly wrap this up before I burn into a crisp... _

"Naruto? You look like you've seen a ghost. Tell me what's going on!" demanded Sakura.

Naruto looked like he couldn't speak let alone answer her demand. Instead, he simply pointed in my direction. Pinkette and Emotionless Boy followed the pointing finger and saw me. I wasn't bothered, I could just as easily break them as though they were kindling if they tried anything.

"Who is he?" asked Sakura but then when she saw my penetrating gaze at Naruto and then my sharp fangs, she immediately sprang protectively in front of Naruto, freeing a kunai from her pouch. Sai following suit, his eyes narrowing as well. Naruto looked at them both like they were crazy.

"Sakura? Sai? What the heck are you doing?"

"Don't you see it, Naruto?" answered Sakura. I raised an eyebrow at the blonde's stupidity, maybe I should consider somebody else smarter.

"See what?" asked Naruto, obviously not getting it. Sai's voice dripped impatience.

"Think! Naruto! Think really hard!" Naruto took another good look at me, studying my features, trying to see what had Sakura and Sai on alert and in protective mode. My fangs glittered wickedly again and this time something clicked in Naruto's brain.

He looked horrified.

"Vampire Uchiha! What the hell is he doing here?" He said backing up a few paces.

"My guess is, he's seeking prey. I don't like the way he is looking at you." replied Sakura and instantly she hurled a kunai at me.

I caught it blade first, wincing slightly as the blade bit into my hand. I pulled the offending blade from my hand and eyeing the trio with a devilish grin, licked my blood from my hand, sealing the wound and healing it completely. Instantly, all three shinobi turned green. I could feel the mounting fear crawling up my spine as the sun started rising bit by bit over the horizon, but I ignored it choosing to instead wink at the utterly petrified blonde, who instantly frowned and growled under his breath, and I took the opportunity to slink out of sight.

"Shit! Where did he go?" I heard Naruto say. Hopping back into the Butcher's shop, I huddled in the dark storage room, listening to the three foolish shinobi talking about me.

"I dunno. But it's almost morning, so he probably left so he wouldn't go up in smoke." surmised Sakura. I heard something zip up and I assumed it was her weapons pack. A loud yawn suddenly cut through the tense air.

"I don't know about you, but I'm beat. I'm going home. See ya, Sakura. Sai." said my intended target and I heard the sound of retreating sandals.

"Do you think we should follow Naruto?" Sakura asked Sai.

"I think he'll be safe for now, as you said, it's almost morning." answered Sai and then I heard the sounds of kissing.

_Ugh..._

"C'mon. Let's go home. It's lucky Tsunade gave us a day off today." said Sakura, and then I heard Sai and Sakura walking off.

_Finally! I thought they'd never leave. I'm cutting it close, but I need to be sure that Naruto will follow me back to the castle..._

I realised that the blonde had a unique scent and I followed the scent to a nearby apartment. I lurked in the remaining shadows – resisting the overwhelming urge to flee – and spied on the blonde making himself an early breakfast of Ramen of all things. I waited until the blonde added hot water to the Ramen cup and then left the room for a moment.

Seizing the moment, I easily slipped into the Apartment and lent up against the wall in the shadows – waiting for him to return to the room.

A toilet flushed, indicating that he had just gone to the bathroom and I grinned seeing my prey reappear. I waited for the blonde to settle himself in a chair and start eating his meal before starting to speak.

"So-"

The blonde choked on his Ramen as I stepped into the light and fixed him a seductive leer.

_I feel like such a lie and so disgusting. Please forgive me for what I'm about to do, Naruto..._

"-We meet at last, Naruto." and I grinned again.

Once again flashing my sharp fangs at the petrified blonde before me.


	3. Behind Blue Eyes

**DISCLAIMER: **Even though I desperately wished I did – I do not own 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden'. If they were real, Naruto would be my best friend and Sasuke would be mine! Hell yeah!

**PAIRINGS: ** SasuNaru (primary pairing), AkuSasu (secondary pairing/forced relationship), SaiSaku

**A/N: **No flames or mean comments, please. Saying 'No offence' only intensifies the offence felt.

**ANSWERS TO REVIEWS: ** I got the question about '_**why doesn't Sasuke just kill himself or Akumu if he hates her and hates life and has to suffer through being the adoring lover?**_ ' Answer, which I should've somehow included in the last chapter (my bad :S) is that when Sasuke was changed into a Vampire, Akumu placed a sort of unbreakable whammy or jinx on Sasuke that would prevent him from killing himself or killing Akumu unless she specifically asks him to do so. And the jinx forces him to do her bidding, whether it be to make love to her or find her 'willing' victims to feast upon for herself or for the both of them as some sort of kinky sex thing...

FYI, I'm basing this story on a vampire computer game I once played and liked, so I hope this settles any confusion on the Sasuke part of the question. On the Villagers knowing that Naruto is the Nine-Tails jinchuriki? All will be revealed in this following chapter ;)

Enjoy :D

**THEME SONG: **Behind Blue Eyes – Limp Bizkit

* * *

**BEHIND BLUE EYES**

_"As the Count leaned over me and his hands touched me...  
a horrible feeling of nausea came over me,  
which, do what I would, I could not conceal."  
_  
_**~ Jonathan Harker (Bram Stoker's Dracula)**_

**NARUTO'S P.O.V**

Somehow I just knew this day was gonna top the list of shittiest days I've ever experienced for a long time.

So what else is new? My life is constantly fucking shitty because of the fact that I'm the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and has been so since I was a baby. And the Villagers have _NEVER_ let me forget it.

How could I? What with the death threats, rocks being thrown at me (some of those rocks finding their mark – it amazes how most of these Villagers haven't become Ninjas themselves, considering how accurate their throwing is) and the low mutterings of words and sentences such as _'abomination' _or _'demon child' _or _'Wish you would just die!' _ that I hear all around me.

If it wasn't for the fact that I have loads of awesome friends like Sakura-chan, who I used to have this huge crush on, but somehow along the way I sorta gave up on that, and now I think of Sakura as an extremely temperamental sister (who for some reason has this serious fixation with the back of my head, because that's the one place she aims for whenever she gets pissed off with me about something), and having support and respect from some shit hot teachers like Iruka-sensai and Kakashi-sensai, I would've gone insane years ago from the loneliness.

All in all – it's the story of my life. But what doesn't kill me makes me stronger.

Believe it!

But believe it or not – sometimes I wish I could find somebody out there, besides my best friend Gaara, who like me is a Jinchuriki, who understands how different I am, and won't shun me for it, accept me and give me the love and respect I've been craving for the past sixteen years. If only life _could_ be that simple, and not so fucking retarded, ALL the time.

Hang on... where was I?

Oh... heh, yeh – I was explaining why this day was shitty... uh? Oh yeah!

Well for starters, it all started with this stupid mission Baa-chan sent Sakura, Sai and me on this morning. It all started out kinda typically...and painfully (thanks a lot, Sakura...) – I was lying face down in bed, apparently snoring according to Sakura, (who had told me with this really bitchy, irritated tone in her voice) and I was having this great dream: I was sitting in Ichikaru's enjoying an all you can eat Ramen meal, and then suddenly the noodles randomly started to leap out of the bowl and tried to strangle me. Horrified, I tried to pry the slimy, broth covered noodles away from me and I jerked awake from my sleep, finding myself slumped on the floor beside my bed, with the bed sheets wrapped around my neck.

"Ow! ...the hell?"

I looked up into the scathing eyes of Sakura, who was glaring down at me with her usual pissed off expression on her face that was obviously directed towards me... as usual.

"Eh? Sakura-chan? What are you doing in my Apartment?" I asked dubiously, looking around the room.

I saw Sai leaning against the door post with his usual shit-eating grin on his pale face. Sakura frowned deeper at me and placed her hands on her hips as she glared down at me. I flinched away, not really wanting her as my alarm clock and preferring my clock radio that I had conveniently turned off before Sakura and Sai had turned up.

"I was trying to wake you up, baka! You sleep like the dead." she retorted, stepping back a bit so I could get to my feet, and I sat on the side of my bed. I yawned and fixed Sakura with an annoyed stare.

"Well, I'm up now. So what the hell do you want to tell me so I can get back to sleep..?" I murmured and started to fall back onto my pillow, but instead found myself feeling Sakura's freakish strength on my face as it sent me flying across the room. I hit the wall and I groaned in pain, sliding down the wall and then felt Sakura dragging me by my leg towards the front door with Sai trailing behind. A superior smirk was on his stupid face.

"Lady Tsunade has a mission for us. She told me to go get you, so let's go!"

I tried to retrieve my leg back from Sakura as the only thing I was wearing was my orange boxers and my jade necklace, and I didn't feel like being dragged to Baa-chan's office half-naked.

"Okay, okay! At least let me put some pants on first. Sheesh!"

Sakura unceremoniously dumped my leg to the wooden floor of my somewhat tidy apartment, and I stomped back into my bedroom dejectedly, and pulled on my usual black and orange jumpsuit, my black sandals and tied my Hitai-ate into place before scowling at Sakura and heading for the door.

"This mission better be worth it..." I muttered, slamming my door shut.

* * *

"SAY WHAT?"

"You heard me, brat." Baa-chan fixed me with an evil smirk.

I sweat-dropped, looking over at Sakura and Sai who didn't react as strongly as I did. Sakura sorta looked kinda put out by the mission, but I couldn't work out whether Sai was against the mission or simply taking Baa-chan's word for it.

Either way, I was on my own.

_Aww, man... _

Apparently, the mission required us to escort three important people back to their nearby village – pretty standard mission that I could do in my sleep, and fully intended to – but there was a catch.

There always is a catch.

"We need the three of you to henge into the three heiresses, because there is a rumoured plan for any one of them to be kidnapped." explained Tsunade, pushing a folder with all the information in it towards us, an air of disinterest practically radiating from her. I blinked at her, not believing what I was hearing.

"I'm sorry? What? HEIRESSES?"

Sakura immediately picked up the folder and flipped through it, reading all the information stored in there. Sai yawned deeply and jumped 10 feet in the air when Tsunade bellowed at him.

"I'm not keep you up am I, brat?" she growled narrowing her eyes at him. Sai flashed his fake smile at her as he took the folder from Sakura and skimmed through the details as well before handing it over to me. After reading the damn folder, I groaned.

"Is there a problem?"

"No, granny. There's no problem." I answered with as much enthusiasm I could give and dodged a heavy object she hurled in my direction.

"I TOLD YOU NEVER TO CALL ME THAT!" she bellowed and I flinched instinctively.

Sakura rolled her eyes at me, but had a hint of a smile on her face. I might piss Sakura off, but we'll always be close. Tsunade sighed in frustration and waved us away.

So the mission began, we met up with our charges who turned out to be three of the most obnoxious, snotty trio of bimbos I've ever associated with, and I'd been friends with Sakura and Ino (her best friend and rival) since we were students at the Academy and then Genins.

Now Sakura, Sai and I are chunnin, believe it!

The general plan, for our mission, that Sakura, Sai and I came up with before meeting the dumb bimbos was to bring along a transportation scroll, get the girls to draw blood and smear it on the scroll which will then give them access into the scroll and then instantaneous safe transport to where they needed to go.

Instant ninja bodyguards – whether I liked it or not. Especially if I had to dress up and pretend to be some fucking pampered girl for it.

The moment I met the chick I was supposed to impersonate, it turned out to be the second thing that made this day the shittiest ever. The chick was a total 'valley girl' – pink bubblegum, perfect manicure, perfect hair, the works.

"Don't worry, just be yourself – you'll fool anybody." said Sai, smirking.

I snarled and went to beat the crap out of him before Sakura tackled me and held me back (damn she's strong...) and that earned me a knuckle sandwich to my jaw. Again.

"Watch it, idiot! That's my boyfriend you were about to pummel."

I continued glowering at the smug bastard standing next to his over-protective girlfriend as I rubbed my bruised jaw. The bruise would be gone in a hour due to Kyuubi's healing chakra. Sakura noticed this and stepped down hard on her boyfriend's foot as well.

Sai winced.

"Knock it off, the both of you. OR ELSE!" she threatened us with her clenched fists and both of us flinched back from it. I turned to the three highly amused chicks watching us with interest (the one who I was impersonating was casting me flirtatious glances – _oh joy...just what I needed_) and Sakura unrolled the scroll and stepped towards them.

"Okay, all we need now is some of your blood."

Three pairs of eyes instantly widened.

"Uh, no way."

Sai's charge spoke up and backed away right into Sai who had a kunai out ready to pierce her finger, which was what he did – quick and painless.

"Ow! Hey!" Sakura directed the girl to press it to the scroll and the moment she did she disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Yvette!" screamed the other two bimbos and sent accusing glares at the three of us, thinking that we had somehow killed their sister.

I rolled my eyes and face-palmed. And Sakura thinks I'm an idiot? The chick who I was impersonating, whose name was Crystal (_ugh...) _ sidled up to me and slid a hand up the back of my jacket. I flinched away from the cool touch trailing slowly up and down my spine.

"I'll do it, if he pricks my finger first." She 'compromised' batting her eyes at me coquettishly.

I groaned and like Sai, pulled a kunai out, pricked her finger and shuddered when Crystal pecked my cheek and followed her sister into the scroll. The final sister scowled at Sakura saying:

"Don't even think about it."

Sakura shook her head disgustedly at the chick and simply grabbed her hand, stabbing it a little too violently and smeared the blood on the paper. The girl shrieked in pain and snarled at Sakura, sounding like a beast.

"Hey bitch, that hurt!"

Sakura simply side-stepped the girl when she took a swing at her for scaring her finger for life.

"Oh, eat some concrete pills and harden the fuck up. I have no time for pampered princesses." muttered Sakura, the moment the girl vanished and she rolled up the scroll and put it in her backpack. Sai and I sniggered, earning burning glares from Sakura as we hinged into our disguises. I sighed frustratedly at what I was wearing.

"Let's just get this over with..."

* * *

It was almost night time by the time we got back to Konoha from our mission, but not before Sakura, Sai and I stuffed ourselves silly with some 'thank you' goodies the bimbos' grandmother gave us – warm, oven baked cookies. YUM! – and we decided to regroup with a bunch of our friends at a nearby restaurant.

Running past a nearby off road track, I suddenly shivered for no reason, as if sensing something very, very bad was down this road. The feeling told me that nothing good would come from travelling down this track. Sakura noticed my uneasiness and finally piped up.

"What's wrong, Naruto?"

I ignored her question and paused in my tracks staring curiously down the track which for some reason looked extremely creepy.

"Do any of you know where this leads?" I asked. Sai shrugged and Sakura sidled up to me and pulled my face to look at hers.

"Beats me, but whatever is down this road has scared you big time."

I released Sakura's too tight grip on my chin and continued staring almost obsessively down that track. Shrugging, Sai and Sakura seized one of my arms each and dragged me back into Konoha and headed straight for the restaurant, but I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling I had about that stupid track, so I made the excuse that in their rush to get me to Baa-chan that morning for our stupid mission, I had left my Gamma-chan* behind, so I was going home to get it.

I made my way home, but I didn't go inside because I already had gamma-chan clipped to my belt loop – instead I hopped up onto the roof of my apartment building and peeked over the trees in the direction of that track that had creeped me out.

_What the hell is down that track? _

Then I saw in the distance, faraway something shaped vaguely like a Gothic castle.

_The fuck? Since when was there a castle over there? _

I frowned and hopped down from the roof, making my way over to the restaurant.

_Mental note: ask Granny about that castle tomorrow, I'll have plenty of time to do so because we don't have a mission until the next day. Fuckin' A! _

We spent almost the entire night at the restaurant and then finally when everybody looked like they were about to collapse, we all started to head home. But not before an ANBU ninja suddenly stopped us in our tracks and told us that Granny Tsunade wanted to speak to the entire village about something. I clasped my hands behind my head and sauntered out of the joint with Sakura and Sai following – hands joined and frowning curiously as well.

"Wonder what the old hag wants to tell us?" I muttered to myself and stood like everybody else waiting for her to spill the beans. I yawned loudly, causing people all around me to look at me with scandalised looks and earn yet another slap in the head from Sakura.

"God, Naruto! You're so rude!"

I rubbed the back of my head.

"Quit hitting me on the back of the head, Sakura!" I yelled back just as Granny started to address us.

"My beloved villagers and loyal Ninja-" began Tsunade looking kinda worried about something.

_This can't be good... _

Tsunade cleared her throat before saying what was obviously really bad information. I yawned again, this time being a little bit more discreet about it.

"-News has come to me that the Vampire Uchiha has been sighted and is on the move again."

_Eh?_ _The Vampire Uchiha?_

"Uh? What's the Vampire Uchiha?" I asked Sakura who looked at me like I had suddenly grown three heads. I blinked back at her innocently.

"Have you had your head up your ass these past few months?" she snapped in a whispered voice at me. I flushed red, not liking what Sakura had just said.

"Geez, just answer the question, Sakura." I retorted exasperatedly.

Sakura face-palmed.

"The Vampire Uchiha is an ex-ninja whose family were wiped out by Vampires nearly 100 years ago. He's the only survivor who came back from the dead."

I paled at the word 'dead'.

"So... he's...he's a zombie?" I asked, fearfully.

Sakura and Sai sweat dropped.

"No, dickless. He's the living dead. He feeds on blood to survive." I felt sick. But before I could projectile vomit on the ground, Granny started speaking again.

"I don't need to remind you all that Uchiha is extremely dangerous and should not be trusted or approached under any circumstances."

_Really? Damn, and I was just going to invite him out for some Ramen. Shit Granny, what do you take us for? Idiots? _

"Should you see him, report him to the nearest Chunin or Jonin immediately."

_Yeah, right after I've stopped running..._

"And please, I cannot stress this enough. Be on your guard. Thank you for your patience in this matter."

_Yeah, I'm planning on being careless. The last thing I really want to be is some stupid vampire's snack! Sheesh. _

I felt like I was being reprimanded like a naughty child.

"Hey, that's not fair. We can take care of ourselves, we're not babies!" I felt Sakura's calming hand on my shoulder and I turned around to see her looking really worried.

"Naruto. Tsunade knows that, but it's her job to make sure that people don't make unnecessary and risky moves. It's for our own safety." Sakura was beginning to scare me. It was like she was afraid that _she_ was likely to become lunch for the bloodsucking fiend.

_Like hell. Sakura, Sai and I wouldn't let anything happen to you. I promise. _

Then Sai had to go and point his two cents in as well. Sometimes I really hate that rude dick.

"Dickless, relax. Tsunade's message was just friendly advice." I face-palmed and felt my skin increase in temperature, because Sai had pissed me off again. Suddenly, I could sense an unfamiliar chakra source nearby. I frowned and started looking around, searching for the person.

"Naruto? What's wrong?" asked Sakura, pulling away from Sai who was trying to comfort her with soothing words in her ear.

"I dunno. I can just feel someone watching me." I replied distractedly and finally saw a pair of eyes looking down at me.

A pair of sharp, obsidian black eyes that pinned me to the spot and wouldn't look away no matter how much I wished it would. I gasped, alerting Sakura and Sai who came to my side and shook my shoulder, trying to jerk me out of my rigid stance. My eyes widened fearfully as the stranger on the roof of the butcher shop leered suggestively at me.

His teeth sparkled unnaturally in the fading moonlight.

"Naruto? You look like you've seen a ghost. Tell me what's going on!" demanded Sakura, who was shaking me to get attention. I impatiently brushed her hand off my arm and pointed towards the mysterious stranger perched on the roof of the butcher's shop. Sakura and Sai followed where I was pointing and instantly frowned.

"Who is he?" I heard Sakura ask, but then raised an eyebrow when she pulled a kunai from her pack and sprang into a defensive stance.

_Huh? _

I looked over at Sai. He was doing the same thing and this time there was no mistaking what emotion was on his face: seriousness. It only took me a couple of seconds to realise that both Sakura and Sai were crouched in their defensive stances _around_ me.

They were protecting me.

But from what exactly? It was just some random stranger who was probably trying to get a better view of Tsunade when she had been giving her speech. What was it about him that got them so riled up?

"Sakura? Sai? What the heck are you doing?" I demanded, trying to back way from my friends who were acting like over-protective loons. Sakura snarled impatiently under her breath at what she deemed to be my stupidity.

I frowned at her.

"Don't you see it, Naruto?"

The frown deepened.

"See what?"

"Think! Naruto! Think really hard!" snapped Sai, not breaking eye contact with the stranger on the roof.

I sighed exasperatedly and took another closer look at him. I studied the man's features: He was tall – probably would stand at a good six-foot, well-muscled, had extremely pale, flawless skin, well sculpted face – which had thin rose coloured lips; as I mentioned before: sharp, penetrating obsidian black eyes that seemed to be smouldering (_what the hell?) _and a pointed nose.

He had spikey blue-black hair that was short at the back and stood up making his hair look like a duck's ass, and long at the front, framing his face. If I had've been a girl, I would've probably labelled him as extremely handsome – in a creepy, inhuman way of course. The way he was perched on the roof, indicated to me that he was extremely agile and graceful, but powerful enough to probably shatter bones with a single punch.

It wasn't until he grinned at me again that I noticed that his teeth which I previously noticed before and dismissed just as easily were impossibly sharper than the last time and were undeniably attractive. Briefly, I was visited with a mental picture of those teeth caressing the hollow of my throat, and I felt a delicious shiver of anticipation shoot up my spine and I moaned with pleasure, causing Sakura to shoot me scandalised looks, which I ignored, and I flirted with the idea of what it would feel like to have them-

I snapped back to the present and shuddered with horror.

_You've got to be kidding me? That's a vampire? He can't be older than I am... oh shit!_

"Vampire Uchiha! What the hell is he doing here?" I said, pulling out a kunai myself and getting into the defensive position as well. I saw the bastard laughing and I snarled, offended. Sakura's voice dripped disgust as she answered my question.

"My guess is, he's seeking prey. I don't like the way he is looking at you."

I watched in disbelief as Sakura hurled a kunai at the bastard sitting on the roof and all three of us gasped and winced at the same time when he grabbed the kunai, blade first, out of thin air with quick movements. We watched him wince, then with an evil smirk, he pulled the kunai from his hand and started licking up the blood seeping from an open wound on the palm of his hand. My stomach flipped over with revulsion. When the Vampire Uchiha suddenly winked at me, I frowned again and gasped when he suddenly dropped down from the roof, out of sight.

"Shit! Where did he go?" I asked fearfully, checking my corners making sure I wasn't leaving my back open for any unwarranted attack. Sakura immediately straightened up and put her kunai back into her weapons' pouch, zipping it up.

"I dunno. But it's almost morning, so he probably left so he wouldn't go up in smoke."

The way Sakura said the words 'up in smoke' were said dangerously and I wouldn't be surprised if she started practising the Katon jutsu from now on, for extra precautions. I relaxed slightly, taking Sakura's word for it and then another yawn ripped from my lips and I scratched my head, feeling completely exhausted.

I silently thanked Tsunade for letting us have the day off today.

"I don't know about you, but I'm beat. I'm going home. See ya, Sakura. Sai." I turned and shuffled off home where I looked forward to a couple of hours of uninterrupted, blissful sleep. I smiled dreamily at the prospect.

* * *

I unlocked the front door of my apartment and kicked off my sandals.

A loud rumble came from my stomach and I laughed lightly, stripping off my jacket and flinging it onto my bed as I headed for the kitchen and clicked on the kettle to make up some Ramen before getting to bed and sleeping. After pouring the hot water into the Ramen cup, I headed straight for the bathroom.

That turned out to be the worst thing I could do when there was a Vampire out for my blood – as my life changed rapidly after I came back out of my bathroom and started eating my early breakfast of Ramen. So there I was, eating, completely oblivious to what was going on around me, and then suddenly:

"So-"

A deep, baritone voice that was smooth as silk broke the silence.

I instantly choked on my mouthful of noodles I was chewing on and looked around the room, freaking out. Then somebody stepped out from the shadows. It was the same bastard from the rooftop, dressed head to toe in elegant shinobi yakata – a loose, long-sleeved white shirt, that showed an impressive amount of well-muscled chest _(why the hell am I even looking at that?) _ and loose fitting black pants tied together with a navy blue obi. He wore black shinobi sandals on his feet and a floor-length black travelling jacket.

He was also, smirking at my obvious shock and discomfort.

I immediately leapt up from the table and put as much distance as I could between the vampire in front of me as possible. That move earned me a seductive smirk from the prick standing in front of me. My eyes widened.

_Holy shit, I'm in trouble now..._

"-We meet at last, Naruto." He purred, taking a step towards me. I raised my hands up in front of me to fend him off as my face jerked with shock.

"I don't know how you know my name, but stay the fuck away from me." I demanded sternly, and narrowed my eyes at him. This only seemed to amuse him.

"Language, dobe. You wouldn't want to forget your manners now would you?" I snarled with anger and pulled a kunai from my pack – thanking everything that was holy that I hadn't put it away yet.

"Fuck you, teme!" I snapped and went to move into a defensive stance.

Without warning, I found myself slammed up against the wall with my wrists pinned over my head with one of the vampire's hands and held there with an impossibly strong grip. I gasped in pain and found myself inches away from his pale face. I cringed back from it, shuddering.

"Don't threaten me with a good time, love." He breathed in my face.

I caught a whiff of something pleasant, a sweet fragrance in his breath and for a second I was light-headed. I almost didn't notice him lean in to whisper in my ear, a smug smirk on his face.

"And please, call me Sasuke." he murmured and licked behind my ear. That brought me back to the situation at hand and I bucked, trying to release my hands so I could pummel him for that action. The grip tightened and I winced from the pain.

"Let go of me, teme." I growled.

Sasuke didn't move.

"Let go or I'll kill you." I threatened, angrily and fully awake now.

Sasuke's smirk ebbed away to a dangerous leer and with lightning fast reflexes, spun me around and slammed me hard against the wall so that I was pressed up against it, instead of leaning my back against it. I shivered as Sasuke's icy cold body pressed up against mine. I felt something sharp press lightly on my neck. I gulped just as Sasuke's angry voice whispered in my ear again.

"Wanna try that again?" he snarled. I could taste my fear on the back of my tongue, but I forced it away.

"You heard what I said."

I flinched when I suddenly felt a cold hand slide up my chest and I realised with horror that Sasuke was deliberately making me feel this way. I moaned, leaning into the touch before I could stop myself and gasped when he started kissing and licking my neck. It both scared the hell out of me and excited me at the same time, and I felt my heart thudding irratically in my chest.

"...stop...it" I breathed. I jumped when he fondled one of my nipples. I heard him chuckling.

"Make me." He teased.

This both felt so wrong and so right at the same time, but I knew that I needed to get away from him. He was dangerous, and for some fucked up reason – I was his target. But what was even more fucked up? I was enjoying what he was doing to me.

"What do you want from me?" I asked Sasuke. The raven chuckled behind me as he continued exploring my chest with his icy cold hands and leaving butterfly kisses on my neck and shoulders. I moaned again.

"Now, now. You don't get to find that out just yet. We need to get to know each other a little bit more before I can divulge that." He purred and I winced when he nipped me slightly on the neck, sending fear rocketing up my spine instantly.

It was now or never.

_Oh shit! Help me... _

Then help came in the form of the most unlikely source ever: Kyuubi.

_**Kit? What's wrong? I can feel your panic from here! **_

My insides started doing the conga.

_ God does love me! _

_I'm trapped in the arms of an extremely dangerous Vampire! _

I practically yelled. I heard Kyuubi snarling angrily from inside my head. That cannot be good. If Kyuubi was getting anxious, then I was in some serious shit.

_**Listen to me, Kit. You cannot let him bite you and take your blood. **_

I nearly moaned in frustration.

_Thanks for stating the fucking obvious, fur-ball! I'm not exactly thrilled about my position as you are at the moment!_

Why did that feel like such a lie?

_**If it wasn't for the fact that I'd die as well, whelp, I'd let the vampire drain your sorry ass and let the fools out there deal with the aftermath of what WILL happen. But I'm not ready to die yet, so shut up and pay attention! **_

Hearing this information made me curious. I jumped again when Sasuke impatiently tweaked my other nipple, trying to gain my attention.

_What the hell do you mean aftermath? What will happen if I do get drained?_

_** Your blood when mixed with my chakra becomes a stimulant for Vampires and keeps them at their peak for nearly a decade. If you die, then everybody you love will die too.**_

I couldn't let that happen.

_What do I need to do?_

** _I'll mix some of my chakra with yours. It will make you temporarily stronger than the vampire so that you can get him off you. You're on your own with what happens next though..._**

_Why don't you just throw me to the dogs then, Kyuubi? I don't need to be faced with a pissed off Vampire!  
_

_Gee, thanks. If I live through this, remind me to curse your furry ass._

**_I love you too, kit. You ready?_**

As I'll ever be.

_Just shut up and do it._

Instantly, I felt the rush of Kyuubi's chakra fill me up like a calming influence.

I looked down to see my fingernails lengthen into claws and my teeth grow into sharpened incisors within seconds. I saw red and a feral snarl escaped from my throat as I bucked once again and sent the surprised raven-haired vampire flying across the room and slamming into the wall opposite me. I turned and watched Sasuke spring to his feet effortlessly and fix me with an intrigued smirk on his face.

"Hmmm. Seems like I picked a good one this time." Sasuke complimented me and I frowned, caught off guard momentarily.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I demanded.

Sasuke ignored my question and instead turned and headed for the window that looked out into the forest. The outside was already looking brighter as daytime approached.

"We'll be seeing each other again, very soon." Sasuke promised.

I growled again.

_Like fun... _

"Don't count on it." I disagreed, but something was off about the situation and I felt this strange feeling about Sasuke. It threw me off guard for a second and Sasuke raised an eyebrow and smirked. I felt like he knew something about me that I had no idea about.

I hated when people did that.

"Hn. Whatever. Be seeing ya." Sasuke winked and disappeared from the window. I rushed to the window to catch a glimpse of him, but saw nothing.

_Damn him! _

I slammed my fist into the wall and slid down it onto the floor, putting my head into my lap. I shut my eyes and tried to forget what had just happened to me. But the moment my eyes closed, Sasuke's haunting face resurfaced and no matter how hard I tried, I could not forget him. Even as the sun shone brightly into the Apartment and I eventually fell asleep – the image of that fucking vampire remained.

_Oh fuck, what is happening to me?_

* * *

***Gamma-chan - Naruto's frog shaped wallet. I'm not sure if I've spelt this correctly. If I haven't could one of my reviewers please give me the correct spelling when they make their review. Also, if i've misspelt the name of the Ramen stand Naruto frequently goes to - could the correct name of the place be messaged to me too. Thanks xx**

**TBA  
**


	4. Walking Through Fire

**DISCLAIMER: **Even though I desperately wished I did – I do not own 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden'. If they were real, Naruto would be my best friend and Sasuke would be mine! Hell yeah!

**PAIRINGS: ** SasuNaru (primary pairing), AkuSasu (secondary pairing/forced relationship), SaiSaku

**A/N: **No flames or mean comments, please. Saying 'No offence' only intensifies the offence felt.

**THEME SONG: **(I Hate) Everything About You – Three Days Grace.

* * *

**WALKING THROUGH FIRE**

"_Do you believe in destiny?  
That even the powers of time can be altered for a single purpose?  
That the luckiest man who walks on this earth is the one who finds true love?"_

~ **Count Dracula (Bram Stoker's Dracula)**

**NARUTO'S P.O.V**

I woke up at roughly noon lying on the wooden floor of my Apartment, feeling shaken with the beginnings of a throbbing headache forming just above my left eyebrow. I groaned, rubbing that place and peeled myself off the floor, stumbling drunkenly to my bathroom to wash away the strange dream I had had the night before.

_That Ramen must have been expired. Next time, I check the expiry date before chowing down... _

I thought angrily to myself for such a dumb move. As I stripped down and stepped into the shower, I absently lathered up with the soap and started going over in my head what I was planning on doing for my day off. My eyes grew heavy and as they closed, my dream started drifting through my head again.

_**Eyes that felt so real burning into the back of my head... **_

I blinked.

_**Obsidian black eyes, which were for a split second blood red, then so full of life and sadness – like he was regretting what he was doing – a smirk? – no wait, was it really a smirk? It looked more like a smile, hesitant? Friendly?... filled with a hidden promise that everything would be alright... icy, glacier-like hands holding me in a vice-like grip... soft, spoken words...lips barely making contact with my skin then something, sharp?**_

I jolted awake, shaking wet hair from my eyes. I shrugged and continued making myself clean.

As I reached the pulse point of my neck, I suddenly winced in pain and jerked away the bar of soap – instantly seeing a red stain on the porcelain white.

_Eh? What's this? _

I reached up and touched where the soap had just been. Pulling my hand away and staring at my fingertips, I noticed that there was red on my fingers, and now a stinging sensation was ripping across my neck. Immediately, I shut off the water, pushed aside the shower curtain and headed for the mirror. Wiping away the condensation and examining my neck, I instantly froze – two slight puncture marks, that shouldn't have been there, were visible. My eyes widened and I looked back down at my fingers realising exactly what the red was:

_My blood..._

Instantly, the events of last night flooded my brain and I yelled out in horror, realising that it wasn't some fucked up dream I just had.

Two solid thuds on my bathroom door bought me back to reality.

"Naruto? Are you alright?"

It was Sakura.

I could barely breathe. I was shaking so hard as I remembered with distaste when Sasuke had just barely broken the skin on my neck with his fangs while I was struggling to free myself from his restraining grip.

"Naruto? Are you ignoring me?"

I shook my head no.

"Answer me, you baka!"

Sakura's voice was pitchy, I hadn't answered her yet and she thought I was being rude. Somehow, I managed to wrap a towel around myself, then sunk down into the foetal position rocking slowly back and forth as she broke down the door. She stared down at me with a thoroughly annoyed expression on her face, her bright green eyes flashing with rage until she realised that something was very wrong – I had temporarily become catatonic with the shock of what Sasuke had done to me.

Panic began to raise its head.

"Naruto!"

She crouched down to my side and started shaking me. I stared without seeing. Sakura went into 'medical-nin mode' and pulled me to my feet, leading me out of the bathroom, seating me down on my bed, and beginning an inspection to find out what was wrong.

"Naruto? Where did this blood come from?" she asked.

I silently turned my head, showing her my neck and heard her gasp in horror when she saw the puncture marks.

"Oh Kami! Naruto, you need Lady Tsunade. She'll know what to do."

I looked at her.

"What can she do?" I whispered, standing up and moving away.

Sakura looked at me in disbelief.

"Naruto, you've obviously been bitten by the Vampire Uchiha! I have no idea what to do now. A vampire bite is supposed to be poisonous."

I winced, remembering what had happened. Noticing this, she pulled me into a hug in an effort to try and reassure me.

"Don't worry, Naruto. Everything will be fine."

I nodded into her hair still shaking with fear but somehow reassured. Releasing me from her embrace, she led me to my chest of drawers.

"Hurry! Get dressed. We need to get to Lady Tsunade before things get worse!"

I stared after Sakura as she left my room and then with some effort started to dress myself as best I could.

* * *

I felt like I was observing my own body from above with a feeling of helplessness as Sakura led me through the village towards the Hokage's office. The sight of a 5'5 kunoichi supporting a 5'10 rag-doll ninja, must have looked really weird, but the glares and curious glances from those along the route were the furtherest thing from my mind. There would be time enough for an explanation should our expedition be successful and although I knew most wouldn't care whether I died or not, something pushed me on.

The entrance to the Hokage's office came into view and Shizune, Baa-chan's assistant, came out holding a bundle of important looking documents in one hand and Tonton under her arm.

"Shizune-san!"

Sakura groaned in frustration as she shifted most of my weight off her shoulder. Shizune looked up giving Sakura and I a fleeting glance which quickly narrowed into a look of concern as I watched her 'medical-nin' instincts kick in when she saw my slightly lethargic condition.

"Naruto?"

Shizune came over to us.

"What happened?"

"We need to speak to Lady Tsunade, please. It's important." requested Sakura, calmly, even though I could feel her shaking with worry.

I sighed. Shizune nodded.

"Of course. Follow me."

She turned and walked at a brisk pace towards the Hokage's office with Sakura and I hot at her heels.

"Wait here for a moment." She requested.

Sakura and I nodded as Shizune shifted Tonton more securely underneath her arm and knocked on the heavy wooden door.

"Come." came Tsunade's tired, bored voice.

Shizune stepped in and addressed Tsunade.

"Sorry to disturb you m'lady. But Sakura and Naruto are here to see you."

"Send them in please."

Shizune popped her head back out the door and gestured for us to come in. The moment we stepped through the threshold, the air in the room grew tense. The tension radiating from Tsunade as her sharp golden-amber eyes took in the state I was in.

"What the hell happened to you, gaki?" demanded Tsunade, rising from her seat and coming over to help Sakura bring me in.

"I...uh?"

"Naruto was bitten by the Vampire Uchiha." Sakura answered for me before I could get my sentence out and pushed me down into the chair opposite Baa-chan's desk.

I glared at her.

"I haven't lost the ability to speak, Sakura. I can still talk."

Tsunade's hands balled into fists, ignoring my complaining, as she towered over me.

"What? Show me!"

I unzipped my jacket and turned my head, exposing my neck, showing her the puncture marks. Tsunade's warm, calloused fingers brushed across the wound, causing me wince as she examined the damage.

"Ah, thank Kami, it's just a scratch." she murmured.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Then yelled out in pain when a fist collided with the top of my head.

"Ow! Hey!"

I growled, but faltered when I saw the pissed off glare from Tsunade and the shocked expression on Sakura's face – apparently even she disapproved of Tsunade bashing me over the head.

"That's for not heeding my warning, brat."

"Woah, wait a second! I didn't plan for this to happen you know. HE sought me out. Not the other way round!"

Tsunade returned to her desk and surveyed me over her interlinked fingers.

"Well, at least he didn't do anything else other than scratch you with his fangs."

I nodded and moved to get up, but then I immediately felt dizzy and collapsed on the chair again, alarming everyone.

"Are you sure about that?" asked Sakura, crouching to my side and doing things like checking my temperature and pulse.

"How are you feeling, Naruto?"

"To be honest, I feel like crap and I'm really confused."

I brushed Sakura's helping hands aside as Tsunade frowned slightly and studied me for a few more minutes.

"It seems to me that for me to give you treatment, I need an accurate account of what occurred last night."

I paled at the prospect of reliving my encounter with Sasuke in my apartment.

"From the both of you."

Tsunade pointed a well-manicured finger at a surprised Sakura as well. I felt like a cornered puppy as Sakura and I exchanged glances before answering our Hokage's question. Including Sakura in our explanation meant that Tsunade wanted to know everything, soup to nuts.

My headache was getting worse and I groaned in frustration and put my head in my hands.

"I know it's hard for you to do this, Naruto. But it's essential—"

"It's not that."

I politely interrupted.

"It's just...I've got this headache and it's pissing me off..."

Sakura placed her cool hands on my neck and forehead and it seemed to dull the pain a bit. I hummed gratefully and closed my eyes, laying my head against Sakura's shoulder.

"Well, it was after we got back from our escort mission-"

Sakura began the tale.  
But before she could say anything else, another member of our team came in through the window behind Tsunade's desk.

"I heard Naruto was attacked."

I cracked open one eye to see Kakashi-sensai perched on the window ceil and fixing me with a concerned eye.

"How?" I asked irritably.

Kakashi shrugged, stepping into the room.

"I have my sources."

A soft pop was heard just outside the window. It was a bunshin clone dissipating. I rolled my eyes and winced forgetting my headache.

"Please continue, Sakura."

Tsunade's patience was ebbing away rapidly. Sakura nodded.

"Naruto temporarily left Sai and I to go home and get his stupid frog purse and told us that he'd meet us at the restaurant we were meeting Kiba, Ino, Shikamaru, Neji, Hinata and Chouji at for dinner."

Tsunade nodded.

"When he got there, I realised he looked kinda distracted."

I opened my eyes to find suspicious glances looking at me. I sat up from my perch.

"Why were you distracted, Naruto?"

Tsunade asked me pleasantly. I thought back to why I was sitting on my Apartment roof and immediately felt like brooding again. That stupid castle just seemed really outta place. And for the millionth time, Sasuke's face appeared in my head.

I flinched.

"I was checking out this freaky looking castle from the roof of my Apartment. I was curious about why I hadn't seen it before."

I admitted.

"Continue." Tsunade stared pointedly at Sakura and I, waiting for one of us to take the reins and continue the explanation.

"Then as we were going home, we were stopped by the ANBU guards, who told us that you were going to be giving us a speech. Naruto was being rude as usual-"

"Oi!"

Sakura smirked at me.

"-and complaining as usual about how we weren't children and that we could take care of ourselves."

"You're trying to get me killed aren't you, Sakura?"

Tsunade growled at me.

"Unless you have something constructive to add to this explanation, Naruto, please shut up."

I mimed pulling a zipper across my lips.

"Then Naruto started acting paranoid and looking around himself. He started telling Sai and I that he felt like he was being watched."

I decided to step in and continue the story because everything that Tsunade needed to know was pretty much what had happened at my Apartment.

"I was being watched by Sasuke."

Four pairs of eyes blinked at me in confusion.

"Who's Sasuke, Naruto?"

Sakura must have seemed disturbed by how soft and afraid my voice sounded, because I suddenly found myself being held tenderly in my teammate's arms.

"That's the Vampire Uchiha's real name. He asked me to call him that when he followed me back to my Apartment."

Sakura gasped in horror.

"So, we've finally got a name for that bloodsucker."

Tsunade smirked at Kakashi and Shizune triumphantly. Sakura and I stared at the older ninja incredulously.

"Uh? Hello? Are we forgetting that he stalked me back to my Apartment?"

I reminded them, feeling ignored for some reason.

"Yes sorry, Naruto. I apologise. It's just that you've given us the final piece of information we needed to identify him. The only thing we had on him was his last name. And believe it or not, there were a lot of members in the Uchiha clan."

Tsunade looked like she really needed a strong drink. I thought I saw her sneak longing glances towards her desk drawer, but a sharp look from Shizune stopped her in her tracks.

"Please continue, Naruto. You're doing extremely well." Kakashi beamed at me.

I threw him a dubious look. I always knew my teacher was weird, because of the 'Icha Icha Paradise' books of Jiraiya-sensai's he liked to read constantly. But this outburst took the cake completely. All I was doing was recapping an event in my life that I was not likely to forget in a hurry.

"Uh... right? Anyway, I went home and fixed myself some Ramen and headed for the bathroom for a moment before coming back out and starting to eat. Then he came out of the shadows without any warning and caused me to choke on my Ramen."

"I see. What did 'Sasuke' do next?"

I shuddered openly.

"That was the freaky bit. He was... I dunno... trying to seduce me?"

Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

"Seduce you? Explain."

I pulled a mortified face. Tsunade smiled kindly at me and I felt a warm hand descending onto my shoulder. I looked up and saw Kakashi-sensai who was smiling down at me and was obviously trying to give me support.

"I understand that this is a topic that you'd rather ignore completely, Naruto, but if we're going to help you and protect you, we need all the facts."

I nodded again and drew in a deep breath before sifting through the freaky memories.

"He didn't try anything straight away. First, he greeted me and called me by my first name – which scared the shit out of me, cause I hadn't met the teme before, and then he took a step towards me."

Sakura tightened her grip on my shoulders.

"I told him to keep the hell away from me and I reached for a kunai for defense."

"Oooh. Bad move."

Kakashi frowned as he reprimanded me. Sakura reacted in her usual way.

"You idiot!"

"You never make any sudden movements around Vampires, Naruto. It leaves you open for attack."

_Thank You, Captain Obvious... _

I scowled at everybody.

"Yeah. I found that part out the hard way after I told him to fuck off."

Sakura's scowl changed to concern.

"He bit you then?"

I shook my head.

"Not right away. He came at me and slammed me up against the wall and pinned my wrists over my head. Then leaned in really close to my face."

I instantly pictured his black eyes staring deeply into mine. My stomach flipped again as I remembered watching them smoulder and taking in the fear I knew was all over my face. I remembered feeling his sweet breath saturating every pore on my face and a small smile crept across. Though, I was sure nobody noticed this.

"He said something about _'not threatening him with a good time'_ and then he asked me to call him 'Sasuke'."

I heard a giggle escape from Sakura and I turned to see that she had flushed bright red, and I thought I heard her whisper _'Yaoi' _under her breath.

I glared at her.

"What's so funny, Sakura-chan?"

I looked around at the other faces and saw that Kakashi had an evil, mischievous smirk (I think it was a smirk – I can't tell underneath his stupid mask) while Tsunade had her head in her hand and was shaking her head exasperatedly at how Sakura and Kakashi were reacting.

"What's the gag?"

I insisted and Tsunade waved a dismissive hand at me.

"It's not important, Naruto. You'll understand soon enough."

"Understand what?"

Sakura gaped at me.

"Kami, you're so naïve, Naruto!"

"That's not necessarily a bad thing, Sakura. In fact, it can be quite endearing."

Tsunade and Kakashi smiled fondly at me and my supposed naiveness. I suddenly felt exposed again.

"Stop that! You're making me feel awkward."

I complained. Sakura giggled again and hugged me to the point that my eyeballs threatened to pop from my eye-sockets.

"Sorry, Naruto. Please continue."

I opened my mouth to speak again, but then the weirdest thing happened. A large black raven suddenly flew into the office and perched itself on my knee.

Everybody sweat-dropped at the same time.

"Okay. That was weird." Sakura voiced everybody's thoughts.

_No kidding..._

I thought sarcastically. Kakashi went to move the bird from my knee but the raven suddenly dug its talons into my knee – refusing to let go. I roared with pain and glared corrosively at the stupid bird and felt my breath hitch when I looked into its eyes.

Very, very familiar eyes.

_Gulp..._

"How strange. I don't believe the bird wants to leave Naruto. I wonder why that is?"

Kakashi crouched down in front of my leg and studied the raven curiously. The bird flexed its talons again.

"Stop freaking the damn bird out!"

I snarled, curling my hands into fists to stop myself from striking out.

"Well, the bird isn't doing Naruto any serious harm, so if we can get back to Naruto's explanation?"

We nodded and Kakashi straightened up again.

"Actually, apart from Sasuke scratching my neck with his teeth. Nothing else really happened."

Not entirely true, but we already know what happened next and I didn't want to embarrass myself more by going into what Sasuke was doing to my body.

It seemed too personal.

Tsunade frowned at me, studying my face. She wasn't fooled. She knew that I had more to say. I blushed and looked away.

"Would everybody please leave Naruto and I alone for a moment."

Tsunade suddenly said, quietly. Sakura looked at her in surprise, while I stared with apprehension.

"But-"

"Now!"

Sakura immediately got to her feet, squeezed my shoulder for support before leaving the room with Shizune. Kakashi went to follow them but was stopped by Tsunade.

"Kakashi, can you stay please."

Kakashi frowned but nodded and remained where he stood.

"Now that everybody has gone-"

Tsunade's eyes glared into mine with a fierce but loving intensity.

"-tell me EVERYTHING."

I hesitated, looking between them, catching Kakashi's eye. Kakashi's face softened and he nodded at me with a gesture that said _'c'mon mate, you can trust us'_.

I sighed heavily and started to reveal the embarrassing truth.

"Well...OW!"

Kakashi noticed me wince and realised with some distress now who the bird was. But chose to remain silent waiting for the opportunity to act. I tried again, this time the talons dug deeper into the muscle of my thigh but I breathed through the pain and continued on revealing all.

Baa-chan looked thoughtfully at the table in front of her for a moment and then stood up. At that moment the raven's grip on my leg released and the bird flew to the top of a nearby bookshelf, where it could survey the situation more clearly to plot its next move. Tsunade moved silently to a hidden compartment on the other side of the room and took out a bottle containing a greeny-grey liquid and came over to me.

Placing the bottle on the desk, she paid close attention to my leg attending to the wound that was present with her healing chakra. Once my leg was healed, Tsunade then reached for the bottle and handed it to me.

"Drink this." Tsunade instructed.

I obeyed and pulled a face at the bitter taste that appeared in my mouth. Tsunade then moved towards the door and opened it.

"Sakura, you can come back now."

Sakura came back in, and noticing my torn pants, her eyes widened and she gasped.

"Sakura. I want you and Kakashi to accompany Naruto back to his Apartment. Under NO circumstances is he to be left alone until I say so. Am I clear?"

Both Sakura and Kakashi nodded.

Rising, Kakashi came over to my side and helped me to my feet. My eyes met Baa-chan and I smiled gratefully as she nodded in acknowledgement. We moved slowly to the door and were gone.

* * *

"Naruto? May I have your keys please?"

I fumbled around in my pocket and producing the keys, handed them to Kakashi who opened the door...


	5. Unlikely Alliance

**DISCLAIMER: **Even though I desperately wished I did – I do not own 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden'. If they were real, Naruto would be my best friend and Sasuke would be mine! Hell yeah!

**PAIRINGS: ** SasuNaru (primary pairing), AkuSasu (secondary pairing/forced relationship), SaiSaku

**A/N: **No flames or mean comments, please. Saying 'No offence' only intensifies the offence felt.

**THEME SONG: **Animal I Have Become – Three Days Grace.

* * *

**UNLIKELY ALLIANCE**

"_Our ways are not your ways. And to you there shall be many strange things."  
~ __**Count Dracula (Bram Stoker's Dracula)**_

"Naruto? May I have your keys please?"

I fumbled around in my pocket and producing the keys, handed them to Kakashi who opened the door.

"Home sweet home."

I murmured as Kakashi stepped aside and let me past. Gently shaking off Sakura's helping hands, I shuffled towards the couch and sat down heavily into it. I groaned, suddenly feeling really tired and looked longingly at the pillow beside me. Unfortunately, it was immediately occupied by Sakura who sat down beside me with a worried expression on her face. She reached up and cupped my cheek.

"Are you alright, Naruto?"

I yawned irritably.

"Peachy."

I replied and sat back, leaning my head against the back of the couch and shutting my eyes for a moment. I heard Sakura turn towards Kakashi who was sitting at the small kitchen table balancing his face in his hand, deep in thought.

"What exactly does Lady Tsunade want us to do?"

_Yeah. What exactly does she have in mind for you lot?_

I opened my eyes again and focused on Kakashi who jerked out of the distracted state he had gone into when he first sat down and frowned at Sakura's question.

"I thought it was fairly obvious what she wanted us to do, Sakura."

Kakashi seemed surprised at Sakura's question. Sakura made an impatient little noise under her breath.

"I _know_ that we're supposed to protect him from 'Sasuke'. But how does she want us to execute it? Sleepover?"

Kakashi made an 'oh' face and grinned.

"A good old fashioned sleepover sounds nice. What do you think, Naruto?"

I smiled, relieved. I was seriously considering asking Sakura and Sai to stay over with me because I didn't trust that Sasuke would come back and try the seduction thing on me again.

"Let's party."

Sakura squealed with excitement. The typical girlish reaction that had me and Kakashi cringing away from her and looking exasperated. I just seriously hoped she wouldn't take this sleepover thing literally and bring back something embarrassing for all of us to do. I retreated back into my bedroom, listening to Sakura and Kakashi discuss who was going to go home to get their things first and alert Sai to their 'mission' when something on the headboard caught my attention and with final recognition made the blood in my veins freeze.

It was that stupid raven.

"Oh shit!"

I cursed and made a hasty re-entry into the living room and slamming the door behind me. My two 'babysitters' ceased discussion with heads snapping towards my direction.

"What? Naruto? What's wrong?"

"The-the raven's back!"

I stuttered, stabbing frantically at the door with my finger. Sakura charged past me to the bedroom door and shoved it open. She surveyed my room and looked back at me, curiously.

"There's nothing there, Naruto."

I gaped at her like a goldfish and stuck my head back into the room also seeing nothing.

"But-but-but-"

"It's okay, Naruto. You're probably just tired. Go and rest."

Sakura cooed at me and grabbed my wrist, leading me to my bed. I resisted, stating that I thought I will stay in the living room with whoever was staying behind. She shook her head and stepped aside allowing me to exit in front of her and followed closing the door.

"Whatever, Naruto."

Kakashi looked at us with a questioning glance and Sakura shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.

"I think I'll go first. I'll see you back here with Sai."

Sakura then walked out the door and I sunk down onto the couch feeling completely stupid.

Had I actually seen that bird? Or was I being paranoid?

As if reading my thoughts Kakashi sat next to me, putting a reassuring hand on my arm.

"It'll all work out, don't worry."

I nodded numbly and watched Kakashi pull out his book and start reading it. As I watched, my eyelids became heavy and I drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

* * *

I awoke sometime later to a delicious smell wafting from my kitchen. Sakura was cooking dinner. My mouth watered as I sat up throwing off a blanket somebody had draped over me.

"Ah! The sleeping beauty awakes..."

I glared at Sai who winked at me and went back to his drawing. Kakashi had not yet returned.

"Where's Kakashi?"

Sakura stuck her head out of the kitchen, beaming at me.

"He's not back yet from getting his stuff. Dinner shouldn't be too long."

I nodded and got to my feet, stretching and flexing my newly healed thigh where that stupid, creepy raven had dug its claws into it.

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better. I feel human again."

I joked, poking my tongue out at Sakura. She pulled a face and went back into the kitchen. I sniggered and then yawned deeply. I jumped when Sai suddenly came out of nowhere – freaking me out and sat down beside me on the couch.

"Did I startle you?"

Sai asked me pleasantly, smiling his fake grin.

"No, but you can't sneak up on me like that. I'm kinda on edge at the moment."

I growled, flexing my fingers.

"I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention to sneak up on you. I just wanted to ask you a question that has been bugging Sakura and I since you told us about Sasuke's attack on you."

I nodded and waited for the question, feeling slightly uncomfortable about this topic.

"What do you want to know?"

Sakura re-emerged from the kitchen and lent against the door frame, this time holding a wooden spoon in her hands and wiping her hands on an apron I didn't realise I even had, which was tied around her waist.

"What we wanted to know, Naruto, is how did you get away from Sasuke?"

_Eh? Is that all?_

I sighed in relief and grinned brightly, startling them both.

"Oh yeah. Kyuubi helped me out with that."

Eye-brows were raised.

"Kyuubi? You mean that fox demon living inside you?"

I nodded, slipping both hands behind my head and clasping them together.

"How?"

Sakura frowned, trying to figure out why Kyuubi would help me. It was obvious to everyone close to me that Kyuubi disliked me a lot, because I was his prison. It was also obvious that Sakura, like everybody else still thought that Kyuubi was bad news.

"The fur-ball told me that he could feel my panic from in my subconscious. So he demanded, like the rude ass that he is, that I tell him what was going on."

Sakura and Sai nodded, indicating to me that they were listening.

"I told him that Sasuke had me and he started snarling anxiously and VERY loudly in my head."

I remembered with distaste. There was a pregnant pause in which Kakashi chose that moment to come back. It was clear by the expression on his masked face that he had heard everything.

"How interesting. Sasuke must be incredibly dangerous if even Kurama is threatened by him."

_How poetic... _I thought bitterly.

"Why did Kyuubi start freaking out when you told him that Sasuke had you?"

Sakura asked frowning. I became deadly serious when I answered her question. This sobered Sakura up.

"That's the fucked up thing. If Sasuke had been successful in syphoning blood from me he would be fully stimulated for nearly a decade."

Sakura paled. Kakashi's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"That, and the fact that Kyuubi die as well me."

_Stupid, selfish fox..._

Kakashi snorted at Kyuubi's reasons for protecting me and his use of annoying cryptic. Everyone had gone quiet.

"As riveting as this conversation is. Dinner is ready."

Sakura announced and turned shaking back into the kitchen. I frowned at her.

"Hey, you and Sai asked the damn question about my escape from Sasuke. I just gave you the answer."

"I know."

Sakura came back out from the kitchen carrying different types of dishes, including RAMEN, and placed them on the table, where I watched as steam rippled off them and I got hit by this fantastic wave of smells.

"Wow, Sakura! That looks great!"

I gushed.

"And I bet it tastes even better."

Kakashi agreed, but didn't make any movements towards the table. I couldn't work out why until I saw how dirty his hands were.

"Naruto, where is your bathroom?"

Sai asked politely – my jaw dropped and Sakura giggled at my reaction. Still shocked at the fact that Sai was actually polite, I gestured for him and Kakashi to follow me so they could wash their hands. Once the dirt was scrubbed from under their fingernails, we went to the necessary business of eating.

"ITADAKIMASU!" *****

Sakura never ceases to amaze me.

I mean how can fantastic food like what she served us for dinner – miso Ramen soup, Teppanyaki dango, sushi – tonight, come from someone who goes from being warm, friendly and hell let's face it, a flirtatious sweetheart to a violent, cantankerous and hard-headed psycho when someone (mostly me...heh heh) looks sideways at her or offends her – even when she deserves it.

It's just mystifying.

But then again, we grew up together in the same team – so I should know her mood swings by now. It has always been us two, even when I got over my crush and decided friendship was better suited for us. I smiled at Sakura fondly.

_I'm glad you're my best friend, Sakura. I couldn't bare it if you got hurt or killed..._

"Naruto?"

Sakura's voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"Eh? What is it?"

"I was going to ask you the same question. Are you okay? Is there something on your mind?"

I shook my head and then an involuntary yawn escaped from me. I flushed in embarrassment.

"I'm just tired still. I think I'm gonna go to bed. Gochisosama!"******

I hopped up from the table and sauntered to my bedroom, feeling curious eyes following me and burning into my back. I froze just before going into my room. Cautiously, I grabbed the door knob and pushed the door open, looking in and searched the room. I still hadn't forgotten that that raven had been in here, and I wanted to make certain it was completely gone before I went to sleep. When I finally deemed it to be safe, I came in and stripped off my pants and T-shirt before getting into bed and relaxing into the sheets.

"Ah!"

I smiled happily and rolled onto my side, finally shutting my eyes and drifting off to sleep.

"Naruto?"

My eyes snapped open.

"Are you awake?"

I sat up and looked around the room for the owner of the voice. A cold shiver went down my spine.

"Who wants to know?"

I muttered and scanned the room for any sources of chakra. I found one – an extremely powerful one, and it was coming from my desk?

_What the?_

"May I speak with you?"

I smirked.

"What do you think you're doing right now?"

The voice snarled.

"Idiot. I need your help."

I narrowed my eyes at the insult.

"Sorry, I don't help people who insult me."

I flopped back on my pillow and rolled over to face the opposite wall. The voice growled in frustration.

"Alright! Alright! I'm sorry. It's just..."

The desperate sounding and also familiar sounding voice broke off abruptly. I waited patiently for them to continue. If it continued that is.

"Show yourself."

I demanded sternly. I heard flapping wings and the raven appeared from the shadows of my desk and perched on the end of my bed.

"Satisfied?"

The raven asked. My eyes widened with shock.

_Shit! That bird can speak!_

"More like freaked out. What the hell do you want from me?"

I demanded once more, barely controlling the fear in my voice. The raven rolled his eyes in irritation.

"Like I said before '_I-need-your-help_'.

He over annunciated each word, making it sound as though I was a complete moron. Meh, it wasn't the first time I've been called one.

Still...

"I heard you the first time, Teme."

I growled in an annoyed voice, then instantly shifted to confusion **laced** with annoyance.

"I meant, why do you need _my_ help?"

The raven's voice softened a little.

"You remind me of your great-grandfather, Nakate." *******

My head snapped up instantly. Maybe this was an opportunity to learn who my parents were – seeing as this raven knew who my great-grandfather was. And I had to admit I was slightly resentful and envious.

"What's knowing my great-grandfather got to do with your problem?"

"If you help me, I'll explain everything."

I glared at the bird, who smirked back at me in an infuriating way.

I sighed.

"Only if you promise not to hurt me... again."

I asked – indicating my thigh which was still slightly tender, despite how much Baa-chan had patched it up. The black eyes of the raven softened slightly and he nodded.

"I promise I won't hurt you."

Not entirely convinced and still wary, I nodded. The bird hopped down from the end of the bed and tottered back to the desk chair. The moment it perched on it, smoke billowed out of nowhere and in the bird's place was Sasuke.

I instantly started to panic.

"Oh Kami! I change my mind. Don't come near me."

Sasuke sighed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Relax, dobe. I gave you my word that I wouldn't hurt you and I don't back down from my promises."

I sighed in resignation.

"Just so we're clear. Any wrong movements and the deal is off!"

"Agreed."

I looked at the raven-haired vampire with a raised eyebrow.

"So? The floor is yours."

I folded my arms and looked at him.

"What do you want?"

"You don't beat around the bush do you kid?"

I yawned, already getting bored and blinked wearily at him.

"I figured if I help you, you'll piss off and leave me alone."

"It's not that easy, dobe."

My eyes narrowed.

"Hey! You promised."

"Yeah, keep your shirt on. I'll keep my promise."

I groaned with frustration.

"Well get on with it! I'm tired..."

I whined.

"Yeah? Well, I'm tired of living this hellish existence!"

He snapped. That caught my attention. I immediately saw an easy solution, that made me wonder why he didn't think of it himself, instead of wasting his time with me.

"Well, if life sucks for you why don't you just top yourself?"

The moment I said those words, I winced as it sounded uncomfortably similar to what I had asked myself so many years ago during my lonely, bitter childhood. Before I was saved from it by Iruka-sensai who took me in as his own son. I saw Sasuke bristle at my words, but then he relaxed and a small, sad smile appeared on his alabaster white face.

"Don't you think that if it were that possible, I would've done it by now?"

I paused, letting the whispered words sink in.

"You can't kill yourself?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"Uh huh."

I paused thinking.

_That sucks..._

"So where do I fit in?"

I asked hesitantly, holding my breath and waiting for the answer.

"There is a way for me to escape this damned life, however-"

He paused – it made me even more nervous, especially when I had some part in this guy's plan that I was unaware about. I wasn't even sure if I was going to like it.

"-I can only complete half this task during the night, where I can escape the sun's deadly rays and avoid becoming a useless pile of ashes."

He turned his penetrating gaze on me as I nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"I require your help to complete the tasks during the day."

I still didn't trust him.

"How do I know this isn't some sort of screwed up trick?"

"If it were a trick, dumb ass, I would've killed you by now."

I shrugged.

"Point taken. Now tell me EXACTLY what you want from me."

Then this onyx eyed stranger started telling me the story of how he had come to this present situation. I listened silently and then I said:

"When did you want to do this? You do realise my friends are not going to let this happen without a fight?"

He sat silently for a moment and then said:

"Yes, I'm aware. But I have no alternative and no way out and there's the limited timing. So the sooner the better."

I sat motionless for a moment considering my options and then spoke slowly and deliberately.

"I will need a plan to get the others off my scent. It will take at least a week, if I play my cards right."

Sasuke seemed to be debating with himself about whether or not to accept what I had asked him. He grumbled to himself frustratedly, then finally nodded at me reluctantly.

"Agreed. I accept your terms. I will return this time next week and we can begin."

* * *

I woke up the next morning with warm sunlight caressing my face and for the first time I had no feelings of dread but rather a need to fulfil my agreement with Sasuke, and hopefully get back on track as soon as possible. It was just a matter of getting past Baa-chan, Kakashi, Sai and most importantly, my over-protective best friend, Sakura.

This was gunna be no mean feat, but I was determined to try, and had the incentive of getting my freedom back if I succeeded.

_If fate didn't turn out to be a conniving bitch and decide to kill me first..._

* * *

*** "ITADAKIMASU!" - means 'I gratefully recieve' - In Japan, this is said before eating.**

**** Gochisosama! - means 'Thank You For the Meal' **

***** The 'great-grandfather, Nakate' is made up. I have no idea if Naruto even has a great-grandfather.  
**


	6. You Only Live Once

**DISCLAIMER: **Even though I desperately wished I did – I do not own 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden'. If they were real, Naruto would be my best friend and Sasuke would be mine! Hell yeah!

**PAIRINGS: ** SasuNaru (main pairing), AkuSasu (seldom pairing/forced relationship), SaiSaku

**A/N: **No flames or mean comments, please. Saying 'No offence' only intensifies the offence felt.

**THEME SONG: **Breath – Breaking Benjamin.

* * *

**YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE**

"_I was sure, though, in the instant our eyes met, that he didn't look harsh or unfriendly as he had the last time I'd seen him. He looked merely curious again, unsatisfied in some way."_

**~ Bella Swan, _Twilight_, Chapter 2, p.41  
**

To be truthful, I actually wasn't entirely sure how the hell I was going to convince Baa-chan, Kakashi or Sakura that I was 'safe' from Sasuke, and that there was no reason for me to constantly be watched and protected any more. Though, I was pretty sure I had the 'protection' part down pat, thank you very much. I'm not some helpless damsel in distress, dammit! If anything, I'm probably one of the strongest shinobi in the village because of Kyuubi's influence and chakra build up.

But tell that to the old hag, who is stubborn as a mule – particularly when it came to my safety. A fact I had discovered once to my surprise and mortification. Kakashi's not too bad, he at LEAST gives me some space and isn't constantly breathing down my neck. He mostly just hangs out with me, (sometimes while reading his perverted book) and we train together with Sakura and Sai. Like old times, when Sakura, Sai and I were genin, being trained by our loveable Sensai, and we constantly got on Kakashi's nerves as he was getting to know us, and because I constantly pranked him.

_Man, that was fun!_

Sakura?

SHE'S DRIVING ME CRAZY! If she had her way she would be at my side 24/7!

If it wasn't for other missions Baa-chan thankfully has her doing as well as her 'bodyguard' services, I would've made a run for it and stuffed the consequences. Her fricken face is the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning and the last thing I see before I pass out from exhaustion every night. Even more annoying is when every time somebody steps on a twig, she instantly springs into a protective crouch in front of me and brandishes a kunai.

Do I feel protected? Yes, definitely. No vampire, bully, or other danger could touch me as long as Sakura is around with dangerous pointy objects.

Suffocated? Damn straight.

Freaked out? You betcha, especially when Sakura's on duty.

The only person, other than Kakashi, who's not acting like a paranoid freak when 'protecting' me? Sai. He mostly just shadows me wherever I go, whether it be to Ichiraku's, hanging out with Kiba, Shikamaru, Neji, Chouji and Bushy Brow, training or sticking close to me like glue during missions outside the village. He does still, however, make the occasional sarcastic, blunt or rude comment that he knows pisses me off and gives me the overwhelming urge to beat the crap out of him.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the fact that they are actually willing to help me.

I really do.

Most people wouldn't help me because they fear Kyuubi.

But the fact that I'm being protected by them against Sasuke, really complicates the possible plans made between us of how I was getting out of this pointless 'bodyguard mission', and also constantly forces me to remember that even if I _was_ able to come up with a believable plan – I was still having mixed feelings about whether or not Sasuke would keep true to his words.

_Oh, I'm getting a headache again..._

* * *

_**A week later...**_

_**FLASHBACK**_

_"Uh, Sakura?"_

_I winced as the ridiculously strong kunoichi standing beside me squeezed my arm in response._

_"As much as I appreciate you protecting me, I am going to be needing use of that arm later on."_

_The black gloved hands holding onto my arm in a strangle hold loosened immediately._

_"I'm sorry, Naruto. I just don't want anything bad to happen to you."_

_Sakura replied with sincerity in her voice that broke slightly. I sighed exasperatedly and I looked over at Sai who appeared to have a pleasant smile on his face to the untrained eye, but in fact was glaring at me with a territorial spark and I instantly shrank back, smiling back at him sheepishly, wishing the floor beneath my feet would swallow me up whole and forego Sai's wrath._

Stop glaring at me, Sai. I'm not interested in your girlfriend...any more...

_"Sakura, you're making me uncomfortable and making Sai jealous."_

_Sakura looked over at her boyfriend and his possessive glare and instantly beamed at him. Letting go of my arm, she spun round and latched onto Sai's arm, planting a big wet one on him and caused Sai to turn a ferocious shade of red. I saw the opportunity to escape, partly because I didn't want to lose my lunch after witnessing my teammates making out, and because I needed my space to think over my plan in my head again without Sakura breathing down my neck._

_**END OF FLASHBACK**_

For the past five days, I have tried to appease my overly-protective bodyguards – who despite my insistence that I was fine and not likely to seek out danger – continued to Velcro themselves permanently to my hip and took Baa-chan's order WAY too seriously, while I maintained the guise of the grateful victim of a vampire attack, pondering the mysteries of my future – if it ever came, that is.

The story Sasuke had fed me about how he came to be the way he was both intrigued and pissed me off. It also helped me to understand the reasons he supplied for me to help him be free from his horrible situation.

**Nobody **has the right to change a person's destiny or way of life for their own selfish, fucked up reasons – it's not how life or fate works, especially when other people's fates are linked to the choices you make. This Akumu bitch Sasuke described to me must be seriously messed up if she is willing to screw up some guy's life for her own sordid reasons.

I openly flinched when I instantly sensed a very familiar chakra source rapidly approaching me. Part of me was glad for the company, and I still feel this twinge of happiness that somebody actually cares about me and tolerated me enough to actually protect little old me. I just have to ignore the fact that that person likes to beat me up when she's pissed with me.

On the other hand, it also made me wanna run. But I knew that there was no use trying to make a run for it or go hide, because she would still find me. Even if I hid my chakra flawlessly.

_Me and my shadow..._

I thought sullenly.

"Naruto! Hey, wait up!"

I paused in mid-step and turned to greet Sakura, who was charging at me like a rampaging rhino.

Clearly, whatever it is she sought me out for was either urgent and important – coming from Baa-chan, or it was another one of Sakura's pointless attempts to keep me within her sights while we did something boring and mortifying like going shopping just the two of us, or with a giggling, annoying Ino (or sometimes with the usual mob girls – Tenten, Temari (who frequently travels from Suna to be with her boyfriend, Shikamaru) and Hinata – who aren't as bad as Ino or Sakura... but still, UGH, stick pins in my eyes and end the torture!), hanging out in cafes (again with the girls, but sometimes Kiba, Shikamaru or Neji would join us and save my sanity. But even then we'd just sit together at a table or booth watching and listening to the girls talking at top speed about some 'troublesome' (as Shikamaru would describe it) gossip while throwing each other exasperated looks, sweat dropping and trying to form a plan of how the hell we were going to get out of there without the girls noticing) or even training.

Shit, out of the other two options – training actually sounded like paradise.

And frankly, the only 'shopping' I like doing is going to Ichiraku's for my usual round of Ramen.

"What's up, Sakura?"

Smiling slightly at me, Sakura grabbed a fistful of my jacket and started dragging me down the street.

"Lady Tsunade has requested you."

I followed her through the bustling crowd towards the Hokage Tower.

"What for?"

"I don't know. Probably to see how the protection mission is working out."

_It's working on my last nerve, Baa-chan..._

I thought bitterly and sincerely hoped that Tsunade would call it off entirely and let me follow through with the promise I had made with Sasuke – which means that the faster I assist him with solving his damn problem, the more chance I will get in returning to my somewhat normal life and fulfilling my dream of being Hokage. But I can't prove my worthiness for the role if I'm being constantly protected and shadowed by my teammates and my perverted former sensai. All this constant protection is making me look weak in the eyes of the people I will be sworn to protect with my life – like my hero: the Yondaime Hokage.

Sakura marched me to the office door and then abruptly left saying something about not being allowed to come in with me to hear what Baa-chan wanted to tell me.

"Do you know the reason, Sakura?"

Sakura shrugged apologetically at me.

"Not a clue. Gotta go down and see if they need my help at the Hospital. See you later."

She smiled, pecked my cheek and disappeared 'round the corner. An uneasy feeling formed in my guts as I stared morosely at the maroon stained wooden double doors, and I hammered solidly on the door and paused while waiting to hear the expectant bored drone of _'come'_ to hit my eardrums. I sauntered into the room the moment permission had been granted.

"What did I do now?"

I droned, fixing Baa-chan with a martyred glance. She looked at me with a mingled expression of confusion and annoyance.

"Why do you always assume that every time I haul your ass in here, that you're automatically in trouble?"

I raised an eyebrow.

"Am I not?"

She smirked and scribbled something down on some important document in front of her and then slamming down her red stamp on it.

"No, you're not."

I grinned in relief, but then dropped my grin into a grimace when realised that if I wasn't in trouble – it was likely to be something else that I probably wouldn't like, like having ANBU guards stationed around my apartment at all times, as well as my team constantly looking out for my sorry ass. I cringed at the thought, and almost missed what Baa-chan had to say next.

"You're here for a different reason."

That did nothing to soothe my frazzled thoughts.

"Which is?"

"Your future-"

My eyes widened.

"-More specifically, this very moment and whatever happens tomorrow and the rest of your life."

Tsunade fixed me with a reverent stare – that immediately told me not to fuck around at that moment.

"What about my future?"

I asked with some interest and suspicion loaded in my words.

"Relax, brat-"

I tried to follow the order, without much success.

"-and trust me, you're going to like what I'm about to tell ya."

She winked at me and smiled with a deep affection. Plus that uncomfortable reverence in her eyes had not disappeared. I was not used to this – having had burning glares and death threats thrown at me my entire life, having warm respect shown to me was off putting.

Despite how much I craved it.

However, my immediate thought was: _YES! She's gonna call of this bullshit bodyguard mission!_

While mentally punching the air at the same time. But not being a complete idiot – like everyone believes me to be – I didn't say that out loud. Instead, a warm but wary smile spread across my face as I waited patiently for her to spill the beans.

"For the past few years, I have been observing potential candidates for when I FINALLY retire my post as Hokage-"

Her golden-amber eyes misted over slightly as she pictured the inevitable day when she would stop being the Hokage, and this creepy smile appeared. Was being the Hokage really that bad, or was she overreacting? I clicked my fingers in front of her face, trying to bring her back to the present, so she could continue her explanation.

"Yo! Baa-chan? Come back!"

I dodged a heavy book that was flying in my direction.

"What did I say about calling me that?"

I mock saluted her to indicate that I understood the obvious threat behind the coolly uttered words.

"-and I've decided that you're the most suitable replacement for the role when I finally do retire. Congratulations!"

My eyes widened again and I felt my face light up with joy. Then the joy on my face disappeared momentarily when I realised an obvious flaw in this plan.

"Wait, what about the Elders? They won't want me instated as Hokage."

Baa-chan snorted and returned to signing the endless pile of documents on her desk.

"It's my choice on who I want to replace me when the time comes. So those decrepit fools will have to like or lump it as far as I'm concerned."

The joy returned.

"This is so cool! Believe it!"

"I'm glad you agree, Naruto. You'll start your training soon."

I had to practically nail my feet the floor to prevent myself from doing a victory dance around the room.

"Oh! And you also get to choose you would like to be your assistant. But there's no need to make a decision just yet – get over your training first and then make your decision after that."

My face fell.

_ Shit! _

Who the hell was I going to choose to be my Assistant? It needs to be someone who won't drive me up the wall, who is reliable and not TOO over-protective, since a Hokage is always in danger of being assassinated – doesn't matter that whoever holds the title is the strongest ninja in the village, some power-hungry moron is bound to try and take out the reigning Hokage.

So who to choose?

_Hmm..._

"Thank you, Hokage-sama."

I said politely and turned to leave the office, but was immediately stopped by Tsunade who I realised hadn't dismissed me yet.

"Hold on a minute, Naruto. There is one more thing I need to say to you before you can leave."

I paused and waited.

"Due to the fact that you haven't been attacked by the Vampire Uchiha for nearly three days. I've decided to lift the protection on you."

This is has to be karma. Two great things in one day? This is just too good to be true. Now all I need to do now is wait for the privacy of evening to come and then I can tell Sasuke the good news and be one step closer to helping him. Believe it!

I stared at Baa-chan for a few moments before I darted up towards the desk and planted a spontaneous kiss on her cheek.

"You're the best!"

I grinned happily, then I disappeared in a circle of leaves. But not before seeing Baa-chan's face blush and blink at me all stunned.

* * *

_**Friday night...**_

I was in a constant state of euphoria the moment I emerged from the Hokage Tower and immediately charged through the streets of Konoha with this huge grin on my face that caused the more paranoid Villagers who were the most wary of me and of Kyuubi, to retreat into their homes and businesses thinking I had started going on a rampage again. I rolled my eyes at them, beyond caring what they thought of me now and in my excitement plowed straight into Kiba who was chatting animatedly with Bushy Brow, Hinata, Ino, Sakura (who I thought was still working at the Hospital), Shikamaru and Chouji (who was inhaling a packet of chips as usual).

"OW! Hey?"

Kiba growled and turned around to glare at me, but his glare disappeared instantly when he saw who it was and grinned brightly.

"Naruto? Dude, why the hell were you running?"

He reached out a hand to me to pull me to my feet and I groaned at his words because I knew Sakura would immediately go into red alert.

_Humph. Just wait till I tell you your bodyguard services won't be required any more..._

"Is Sasuke after you?"

I looked up at the cloudless sky with brilliant sunshine streaming down on us and raised an eyebrow at Sakura, who had followed my glance which clearly translated 'the _sunlight_ wouldn't agree with him' and she sheepishly scratched her head in embarrassment.

"Oh, I guess not."

"Naruto, I can see that you're really excited. That's a good youthful quality! Do you want to race around the Hokage mountain 50 times?"

Lee had gotten into a crouched starting position on the ground beside me when he had seen that I had been running from an unknown source and obviously saw it as a challenge for some unknown reason.

_Hell no..._

I brushed off my clothes the moment Kiba pulled me to my feet and pulled an 'apologetic' face at Lee.

"I'll have to take a raincheck."

"Of course. Let me know the time and place, my youthful friend."

Bushy Brow nodded and gave me the nice guy pose.

_When hell freezes over..._

"W-why were y-you running, N-naruto?

Hinata stammered at me, her face flushing a bit – she always does this whenever she sees me.

It's kinda weird.

"And who the hell is Sasuke?"

Was Kiba's question. Oh yeah, the others don't know about Sasuke and his attack on me. Might as well tell them. They're not likely to see him anyway.

_I'll make sure of that..._

"Which question do you want me answer first?"

"Sasuke."

Everybody except Sakura answered. I sighed.

"Remember Tsunade's speech about protecting ourselves and reporting dangerous people to any nearby Chunnin or Jounin?"

Everyone nodded. Sakura flushed with anger – she knew what came next. So I told everybody the story I had already told Tsunade and Kakashi, and watched the reactions on my friends' faces change rapidly.

"How troublesome."

Shikamaru muttered.

"Yeah, after that Tsunade assigned Sai, Kakashi and I to help Naruto protect himself."

I smirked at this.

"That's good. We don't want that bastard to kill our friend."

Kiba said loyally and I grinned again and flung an arm around his shoulder as Akamaru tackled me to the floor and started slobbering affectionately on my face.

"Ack! I love you too, buddy! Kiba, can you get Akamaru off me now?"

Kiba whistled through his teeth and immediately Akamaru got off me and bounded over to his best friend's side and slumped down on the ground, panting. Sakura hauled me to my feet and wrapped me up in a bone crushing hug that nearly caused me to turn blue and then stepped back – I sucked up the much needed oxygen into my lungs.

_**See kit? You are loved in this stinking village...**_

_I've noticed, Kyuubi..._

I thought back, wiping dog spit off my face and listening to Bushy Brow declaring to me that he would help me fight the 'foul creature' at which point his enthusiastic offer was immediately shut down by everybody.

"You still haven't told us why you were running, Naruto."

Sakura reminded me just as I spied a large black raven perched on a tree not too faraway. It was smirking – probably witnessed Akamaru tackling me to the ground and laying a big wet one all over my face. I glared back at the bird before jumping when Sakura pinched my arm in irritation and impatience.

"Ow! Was that necessary?"

I growled rubbing my arm.

"Yeah it was. Now tell us why you were running or I'll do something worse."

I rolled my eyes and casually rested my interlinked hands behind my head.

"I was just informed from Baa-chan about two things. One, I will no longer be requiring your bodyguard services, Sakura."

Sakura's eyes came out on stalks.

"WHAT? But-but you're still in danger."

She protested loudly.

"Not according to Baa-chan. Has Sasuke attacked me since that night?"

I asked her feeling really smug. Sakura scowled at me, noticing the smugness in my voice and brandished her fist threateningly in my face. I paled slightly.

"Don't get cocky with me, Naruto."

Translation: Yes, I admit that Sasuke hasn't been stalking your ungrateful ass.

"What's the second thing?"

Ino sidled up to me and blinked flirtatiously at me. I rolled my eyes and uncomfortably moved away from her a bit.

"I'm gonna be the Rokudaime when Baa-chan retires."

Ino and Sakura squealed loud enough for the entire village to hear and I half expected a whole flock of ANBU guards to surround us to defend us from the 'danger' we had somehow discovered.

"Naruto, that's fantastic!"

Ino and Sakura had both grabbed one of my arms each and were jumping up and down beside me, almost wetting themselves with excitement.

"Yep. I'm glad that you agree..."

I winced as I stuck a finger in each ear to clear the ringing that conveniently developed after the girls started screaming in excitement. I looked over at Shikamaru, Kiba, Chouji and Bushy Brow who like me were doing similar actions and all four of us had sweat-dropped at the same moment. But I was pleased to see that they also had beaming smiles on their faces as well (Shikamaru's 'beam' was more of a smirk) while Hinata smiled brightly at me.

"We SO need to celebrate!"

Ino decided. Sakura nodded enthusiastically.

"Totally. Let's go and have dinner at that Barbecue joint we went to last time?"

They looked at me for approval and I smiled weakly at them.

"Sure, why not?"

They squealed again and then broke away from my side, charging down the road.

"Meet there in an hour. We'll bring the rest of the gang – including Gaara, Kankuro and Temari – they're visiting because Gaara had to attend this meeting with Lady Tsunade!"

I mock saluted and watched as the girls dragged my four visibly scared friends down the road and out of sight.

I breathed out tiredly and decided that an hour was plenty of time to go home and sleep for awhile, so I turned on my heel and fell into step towards my apartment. I heard the rustle of feathers and looked up at Sasuke who was still perched in the tree watching me. I smiled and held out my arm, gesturing with my head for him to perch there. Sasuke immediately flew down from the branch.

"So? Rokudaime, huh?"

His velvet, barritone voice murmured into my ear. I nodded stoically and made my way home.

"Have you managed to shake off your bodyguards?"

I nodded again, wincing slightly as his talons pierced my arm slightly while he tottered up it and perched expertly on my shoulder. I felt strangely like a pirate.

"Only I didn't have to do or say anything. It was all Baa-chan's doing."

The bird nodded in triumph.

"Excellent. So you'll still help me, right?"

"I said I would. Like you, don't back down from my promises."

I said, feeling slightly uneasy – but that was because I had made a promise with a dangerous vampire.

It was an instinctive reaction.

_I just hope that this mission will be worth it..._


	7. Lured

**DISCLAIMER: **Even though I desperately wished I did – I do not own 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden'. If they were real, Naruto would be my best friend and Sasuke would be mine! Hell yeah!

**PAIRINGS: ** SasuNaru (main pairing), AkuSasu (secondary pairing), SaiSaku

**A/N: **No flames or mean comments, please. Saying 'No offence' only intensifies the offence felt. I'm sorry for the late update - this chapter was really pissing me off. And I apologise if the last part kinda sucks, but bare with me - I'll make it better ;)

**THEME SONG: **Heaven – The Fire Theft

* * *

**LURED**

"_Life's enchanted cup sparkles near the brim."  
**~ Lord Byron**_

"So let me get this straight-"

I fixed the raven-haired young man sitting across from me in my desk chair – who by the way, is throwing me extremely irritated glares, and looking like he seriously wants to rip off my head – with a dubious glare while I clarified the details of my 'mission'.

"-I have to complete some random tasks in order to get to your stupid home, and to get into it?"

He nodded once.

"Correct."

I stared at him with a serious contemplative look for a few more moments before a bright grin spread across my face.

"Well alright then – bring it!"

I slumped back on my pillow and nearly laughed out loud when Sasuke's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline and he almost fell off my desk chair at my boisterous reaction.

"Shit, you're a complex man."

Sasuke replied, looking a cross between mystified and irritated. I waved my hand dismissively at his observation and waggled my eyebrows at him mock flirtatiously, and smirked at him teasingly. I'm beginning to like Sasuke, he doesn't seem like TOO much of a threat – he just seems kinda misunderstood. If you ignored the whole vampire thing, with the dangerous dark aura rippling off him in gentle arching waves, the fact that his daily diet happened to be human blood, and the extreme possibility that he could break every bone in my body with a simple little flick of his slender wrist. And then there is the obvious flaw of his disgusting attitude – Sasuke is a really stubborn, cunning and selfish dick, and sometimes I have this overwhelming urge to pummel him into a bloody pulp because of his arrogance.

"Yeah."

I grinned sheepishly.

"I've been this way for years – it's really not a hard concept to grasp. Although, I have learned that it does tend to piss off or exasperate people."

I frowned slightly, still confused.

"Gee, I wonder why?"

Sasuke's velvet voice practically dripped with sarcasm, but I missed the tone completely – believing his question to be legit.

I scratched my face thoughtfully.

Should I let Sasuke know about Kyuubi, let alone _trust _him with that knowledge? He's already told me his life story like he was the undead version of Forrest Gump – minus the Alabama drawl and the fact that Sasuke is ridiculously intelligent, and the idea of him being 'innocent' is amusing.

So if Sasuke could bare all, why shouldn't I?

_Hmmm..._

_**Forget it!**_

I nearly jumped out of my skin when Kyuubi answered my thoughts with a territorial snarl. I frowned with confusion. What harm could there be in telling him about myself?

_Why the fuck not? He told me his life story. He seems trustworthy – for a vampire of course..._

_**That's my point exactly, how the hell do you know that Sasuke wasn't telling you want he wanted you to hear? He could've made up that sob story to get you to trust him and then he'd lure you into something bad?**_

I rolled my eyes. Sasuke had given me his word that he wouldn't hurt me. I could see it in his eyes. I knew for a fact that he was telling me the truth, because he had looked me straight in the eye with this totally serious expression, and he hadn't started restraining himself from cracking a defiant smirk or starting to laugh, or even worse: knocking me out anyway and taking me back to his hideout – thus reneging on the promise he had made.

_You're getting paranoid, fur-ball._

_** We both heard his life story, and I'm not convinced he's told you EVERYTHING. That pink bimbo you have the nerve to call a team mate and close friend IS right – you're VERY naïve.**_

_While you have a point, not about being naïve, I couldn't help but...well... empathise with him. _

I even heard the hurt and sadness in my own voice. It must have been a good thing, because Kyuubi had stopped bitching and debating about Sasuke with me for a few moments. All I could hear was both my thoughts and the sounds of Kyuubi softly growling at me for MY stubbornness.

_Everything Sasuke told me sounded pretty damn lonely and as you already know – I've been lonely almost my entire life. HE told me straight out that he lost his family at the hands of his older brother, Itachi, and as a consequence of his 'actions', Sasuke had wasted a huge chunk of his life trying and succeeding to get revenge on his brother._

There was still silence. This was a first time for everything. Not wanting to push my luck, I frowned and suddenly remembered something that had occurred to me when he told me exactly how he had come across his brother shortly after their parents' deaths.

_But I don't think Itachi killed their parents. Something just doesn't seem to fit about it._

The circumstances of the grisly scene involving Itachi that Sasuke had described to me, had a huge gaping hole in it that practically screamed out to me. I mean, the _smart_ thing would've been to demand Itachi tell him why he would have stooped so low to have killed their parents, instead of simply charging at him without getting all the facts. If Itachi had straight out confessed that 'he had killed them and was proud of it', then by all means, kill the sick bastard and hope he's rotting in hell. But from what Sasuke had told me, it didn't seem like he allowed Itachi the time or opportunity to explain himself, before jumping to conclusions.

_** While you've made some valid points, kit, I still don't completely trust him- **_

I maintained a stony, stubborn silence. Kyuubi sighed.

-_**But alright, go ahead and tell the fucker your life story. But don't blame me if your stubborn ass gets lured back to wherever he lives and suddenly gets chained up for some late night snack. And if we get killed, kit, I'm gonna be kicking your ass for all eternity...**_

_Not gonna happen! If he wanted me as a late night snack he would've done so the first time he attacked me..._

Kyuubi sighed again with an indignant little snort.

_** Whatever. '**_**Sasuke's' ****_trying to get your attention..._**

I looked over at said raven.

Shit! He really was.

_Eh? Oh thanks..._

I snapped back into reality, blinking furiously into the face of a bewildered and annoyed looking Sasuke.

"You okay there, dobe? You started looking vacant."

I laughed sheepishly.

"Yeah, I'm cool. I sometimes do that – when I'm trying to think things through."

Kyuubi snorted unhelpfully in my subconscious and I growled softly to myself. Sasuke backed away quickly, fixing me an expression appropriate for an insane person.

"You're kinda freaking me out..."

I pulled an apologetic face at Sasuke.

"Yeah, I get that a lot."

"Care to explain why?"

I felt my cheery smile falter slightly as I watched Sasuke shift in his place, looking curiously at me with his almost emotionless onyx eyes. I realised that this was the opportunity to reveal my hated secret to him – it would explain me in a whole new light. I just hoped that he would be exception to the other villagers who had a less than favourable opinion about me.

"It's because of the Nine-Tail Fox Demon I have sealed inside me."

I explained, looking down at my lap. I heard a soft gasp come from Sasuke's lips, but it wasn't a fearful gasp like I expected. It was more of a shocked and amazed one, which confused me.

I sighed.

"My entire life, I've been hated. I only found out the reason why I was so hated when I was eight and it had been because I had gotten pissed off about something. I remembered that I blacked out and woke up in this black tunnel with ankle deep warm water. I saw this gate with a seal over the entrance. Then the Kyuubi appeared in my subconscious."

Sasuke looked deeply disturbed with what I was telling him. I swallowed and looked away.

"Kyuubi totally scared the shit out of me and I thought I was finally going insane from the mistreatment and loneliness, before he explained who he was and that I was his prison. When he told me this, it made my life make a lot more sense. But it also hurt that people didn't trust me or were willing to be my friends because of him."

I bit back a sob that made Sasuke clench his hand into a tight fist.

"I've had many attempts on my life – assassination, people trying to poison me, usually with the food I was trying to buy which was spoiled meat and rotten fruits and vegetables. I've even had rocks thrown at me and random death threats."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and I thought I saw a flash of blood red in them that made me back off in horror. His voice was so low and so icy with fury that I shuddered and suddenly feared for my life, even though I knew that the malice heavy in Sasuke's voice wasn't directed towards me.

"So you've spent your entire... how old are you, Naruto?"

"Sixteen-"

"-Sixteen years of your **precious** life, being prejudiced and ridiculed over something that wasn't even your fault to begin with?"

I looked down at the floor, feeling the overwhelming sadness filling me up again. Apparently, my reaction seemed to have answered his question, because a very ugly snarl came from his deep in his throat and his fist slammed down hard on my desk, almost breaking it in two.

_Hey!? Break your own furniture..._

"That is disgraceful and unforgivable. Pathetic fools!"

I scowled at him and his harsh words.

"That's not fair, most of them aren't like that. They didn't even know about it until recently. And they still want to be my friends."

Sasuke shook his head.

"I meant their parents, dobe. Your friends are innocent of the hatred unfairly placed upon you."

I silently 'oh'ed in understanding.

Then after several minutes of low muttered cursing from the pissed off vampire sitting across from me, I watched as he leant forward, resting both his elbows on his knees and resting his chin on his hands. I watched as Sasuke's furious expression slowly melted away as he sighed resignedly, sitting up from his slouch.

"I was there the day the fox demon attacked the village."

I raised my eyebrows in shock, before remembering that Sasuke was over 100 years old despite his youthful appearance, which made him look approximately the same age as me. He had probably seen a lot of things over his long, long 'life'.

"It was hard to restrain my bloodlust there had been so much death. And now?-"

He turned his eyes towards me and I saw that the black eyes had gone from being a hard onyx, flashing anger, to a liquid inky colour – which I soon realised, to my shock and shame, was because he was beginning to cry.

"-Well at least now I know where the fox demon had disappeared to in the end."

He sighed and returned to his slouch, closing his eyes. I was amazed and a little bewildered at the amount of sorrow I could hear in Sasuke's voice. It definitely proved my theory that the dormant humanity I could sense within him was still trying to break free. I got up from my bed and came over to him.

Crouching down, I looked up and saw that he was definitely crying, and was doing so quietly into his clenched hands. Instinctively, I raised a cautious, comforting hand and placed it lightly on Sasuke's shoulder, which was shaking with every muffled sob he gave. I rubbed some soothing circles into his shoulder with my thumb and I felt him freeze underneath my touch. I watched as he opened his wet eyes, staring me down with surprise and suspicion as I smiled tentatively and reassuringly at him.

Sasuke smiled slightly, then did something completely random and unexpected.

"Why the demon had to be imprisoned in somebody as kind, innocent, compassionate, brave and spirited as you are, is beyond me."

My heart skipped a beat.

He had whispered so softly I could barely hear what he had said. I froze as Sasuke's heavily lidded eyes smouldered again like the last time, and then he raised a chilled hand to my scarred cheek. Slowly and delicately, he trailed the back of it down my face tenderly, barely making contact. At first, I closed my eyes and had instinctively leaned into the contact – enjoying the feeling of being wanted, respected like everybody else, and coveted, like I was some precious jewel that could not be replaced and I cupped his frigid hand with mine, feeling a light blush dusting my cheeks.

But then the reality of the situation re-emerged when I felt his cool, sweet scented breath on my face, which caused me to open my eyes and I saw how close his face was to mine and I saw the obvious lust in his eyes. On pure instinct, I sprang to my feet and put distance between us. Sasuke looked slightly hurt by my reaction.

"I'm sorry..."

I tried to control my thudding heartbeat and started coughing in embarrassment and feeling awkward.

"For what?"

I racked my brain trying to think up an excuse that wouldn't sound pathetic. I couldn't exactly tell him that I felt safe around him – especially when it was still suspected that he was trying to kill me – but I had pulled away because I was embarrassed.

I had pulled away, simply because he was a vampire.

_End of discussion..._

"I can't be that close to you. You're still a vampire, despite the fact that I tried to comfort you."

He smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes – which remained neutral, albeit still slightly hurt as well.

"I understand. You _do_ have some intelligence, I'm impressed."

I raised an eyebrow, trying to figure out if his comment was an insult or not.

"Eh? Thanks. I think?"

He did it again! The bastard tried to allure me again! I guess I should be grateful he wasn't trying to molest me like he did the last time. But what is it about this time that was so different? Why didn't I feel threatened or shudder when he caressed my cheek?

"Uh, dobe? Weren't you supposed to meet your friends for dinner?"

_Huh? What?_

I jerked my head towards Sasuke who continued smirking and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back in the chair and fixing me with a superior leer.

I frowned.

"Yeah? Why?"

"Well, it's five past now."

He gestured towards my clock radio.

My eyes widened. "Oh shit! Sakura's gonna kill me!"

I made a mad dash towards my bedroom door, but froze once more when Sasuke beat me to the door with lightning fast reflexes that could rival the speed of a highly skilled ninja and trapped my clammy hand underneath his calm and collected one on the doorknob, and I turned towards him inquiringly and again blushed when I saw his dark, penetrating eyes looking amusedly at me. I jumped when he started rubbing it slowly, almost lovingly – leaving a fuzzy sensation on my skin.

"Here take this. You'll need it to get to where you're going."

In his other hand, was a thick golden bar that was roughly the length of half a ruler and had four coloured squares embedded in them – blue, red, yellow and green. I took the bar from Sasuke's outstretched hand – our fingers briefly brushing, sending panic shooting up my spine – and instantly felt the heaviness.

"Uh, thanks?"

I said in confusion and turned the brick around and around in my hands – admiring the sparkle it gave off when it reflected in the last rays of the sun seeping in through my window. I heard Sasuke's retreating footsteps and looked up to see him making his way to the window to leave.

"I'll be awaiting your arrival at the castle."

He reminded me and hoisted himself onto the window ledge.

"Got it."

I went to put the golden brick down on my bedside table, then thought better of it because my fervent haters tended to break into my house and nick valuable items from me. Instead, I put the brick into my pocket and turned for the door again.

"Oh! And Naruto?-"

I paused and looked back at Sasuke feeling slightly frantic, because Sakura wasn't renowned for her patience.

"Yeah?"

"Be sure to travel during the daylight hours. There are many unfriendly dangers at the castle that lurk in the darkness and like to come out during the night."

He winked again, causing an involuntary gasp to escape from my lips and the clone dissipated.

* * *

I groaned with satisfaction and pain – having finished eating a fantastic dinner with a bunch of close friends who are a mob of polar opposites, and who have long since accepted everything about me, even if most of the older ninja haven't. I was so glad that I agreed to come out for this.

I am so stuffed.

The only downside to the night was Sakura's greeting for me when I finally arrived ten minutes after the time I was supposed to be there. For a split second, I was really resentful of both Sakura and Sasuke for all of this.

"You're late, Naruto!"

Sakura had bellowed at me when I got to the restaurant and greeted everyone with a sheepish grin, then found myself kissing the dirt when Sakura once again drop-kicked me. I sat up and rubbed at a large lump forming when she had hit me.

"Ow! Geez, what was that for?"

I growled, glaring at Sakura whose face was still hardened with anger but with a little bit of fear coming through as well.

"I'm sorry. I just got worried when didn't immediately show up. I thought that you might've been kidnapped by Sasuke."

I flushed slightly the moment Sasuke had been mentioned, but it wasn't because of the possible abduction (somehow I knew that that wasn't about to happen any time soon) – it was more because Sasuke and I had been discussing how much our lives sucked, as well as the last minute info I needed for our plans, and thinking back on the incredibly awkward, tender moment Sasuke and I had shared when he touched my cheek unexpectedly – feeling Sasuke brushing his chilled lips with feather-light touches on my ear (that shot pleasure down my spine) as he murmured what I had been asking myself for years.

My anger towards Sakura crumbled away as I accepted a smirking Kiba's helping hand and was greeted with welcoming slaps, friendly pats, bro hugs and hugs from my other friends. I looked back to see Sakura looking slightly ashamed and embarrassed of her actions, trailing behind the group.

I paused and turned back to my best friend, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

She looked up at me.

"You seriously need to chill out, Sakura. I had only just woke up ten minutes ago."

I lied brilliantly as I wrapped her up in a reassuring hug which she eventually returned after shedding a few tears.

"Don't worry about me so much. I've been through hell my whole life, I should be used to it by now. Besides we've been through shitty things before. We all have."

I gestured to our friends who all nodded at my words.

"Yeah, Sakura. It's great that you actually care about Naruto – most wouldn't bother."

Temari reminded her, adjusting her giant fan more securely on her back and wrapping an arm around Shikamaru's waist.

"Yeah, 'cause the ones who want to cause Naruto pain are the troublesome ones who have no social lives and amuse themselves by making Naruto's life a misery."

Shikamaru added, yawning slightly and looking bored as usual, draping an arm around Temari's shoulder. I pulled a face at the bluntness of the statement but let it go. Because, it's Shikamaru. Kiba came over and pulled me into a half nelson as he and the others dragged me into the Restaurant and commandeered the nearest booth, sitting down in it and laughing like deranged hyenas at something that Chouji had just said about the menu. A couple minutes later, we were sitting around eating, tossing around pointless gossip (the girls) and bitching and complaining about missions that Baa-chan had assigned us.

Halfway through, I decided to go home because I was tired from both stressing out about the bodyguard mission and from all the food I had consumed, which were creating a comforting food pillow in my gut. For once didn't have a mission to go on with Sakura and Sai.

"See ya later, Naruto. Congratulations!"

I waved my hand lazily at my friends before falling into step towards home. After removing my sandals, jacket, black T-shirt and pants – leaving only my blue boxers and jade necklace on, I collapsed onto my soft pillow, surrendering to comfortable oblivion.

* * *

_"__I've been feeling real good (real good),  
came a long way from misunderstood,  
far away from the days where I wouldn't wanna go home cuz I was afraid of the truth-"_

Music blared loudly from my clock radio as the alarm went off, signalling me to wake up and greet the day.

_ "-__See I was scared to admit that failing was in the back of my head.  
Comes a point when lying no longer works so you have to stand up for how you want to live-"_

I groaned groggily and rolled over slapping my hand down in the general direction of my clock radio, trying to turn the damn thing off.

Needless to say, I missed several times.

"-_Tonight is the night is the night that were losing control-"_

**THUMP!**

_ "-Tonight is the night is the night we set it off...Everybody go-"_

**THUMP!**

_ "-Wooh wooh ooh ooh ooh, wooh wooh ooh ooh ooh-"_

"Where is that damn button?" I mumbled in annoyance.__

"-Yea yea yea yea. Everybody go: Wooh wooh ooh ooh ooh, wooh wooh ooh ooh ooh. Yea yea yea yea-"

**SLAP!**

The room was rendered back to blissful silence, broken only by the occasional tweet of a bird and the sound of the wind rustling the leaves in the trees. I rolled away from my window, unknowingly coming precariously close to the edge of the bed as I tried unsuccessfully to fall back asleep. I was not looking forward to fulfilling my promise to Sasuke to save him – I still didn't know how I was going to accomplish this.

"Yo, Naruto?"

"Whaah!" **THUD! **

"OW!"

I flipped off the bed taking the blanket with me and landed hard on my back, smacking my head on the hard wooden floors and seeing stars. I blinked furiously to get my sight back and stared into the 'grinning' face of Kakashi, who was perched the window ceil and reading from his book.

"Welcome back to the land of the living."

I scowled at him.

"What is it with my friends and the constant urge to wake me by pushing me _off_ the bed?"

I growled in irritation and because of another weird, freaky dream I had just had. Kakashi stepped into the room and sauntered over to haul me to my feet, still reading 'Icha Icha Paradise'.

"I suppose it's because it's the best way of waking you up. You're a very deep sleeper – with some unusual, cringe worthy sleeping positions."

He winced as he remembered. I groaned in annoyance and after yawning loudly, moved to the bathroom to relieve myself.

"Thanks for the wake up call, Kakashi-sensai, but I like my way better."

I pointed lazily towards my clock radio and shut the bathroom door behind me. I yawned tiredly – trying to think about what I was going to do today, when Kakashi yelled in his real reason for being here.

"As much as I'd love to take the credit for pulling you out of your dreams, no matter how hilarious it is to watch, you did that on your own. I'm here for a different reason."

I fixed my former sensai with a dubious look the moment I stepped back out of the bathroom.

"Which is?"

"Her ladyship has a mission for you. The client had specifically requested you."

_Eh? Me? That's a first..._

"Did they say why?"

I grabbed my orange tracksuit pants and started pulling them on – hopping around on one foot and occasionally tripping and falling flat on my face, spitting out choice cuss words. I looked up, watching Kakashi observing me with amusement.

"No idea. I was just asked to find and escort you to the Hokage Tower."

_That's helpful..._

I shrugged on my jacket – zipping it into place, strapped on my weapons pouch and tied on my Hitai-ate securely before following Kakashi outta the window and taking to the rooftops towards Hokage Tower.

"Do you know what the client looks like?"

I asked suddenly getting a bad feeling about this situation – I've been led down the garden path before, and if I didn't like it the last time it happened, who says that I wouldn't be set up for another crippling blow? I've had missions where the outcome was _sweet_ – usually a large sum of money, or gaining a valuable new skill that enhanced my Wind Chakra abilities – and it was usually exactly what I wanted. But like most missions there was usually a catch – sometimes the mission itself was a crock of shit that I could've lived without, and despite the promise of a reward at the completion of the mission afterward, I wouldn't have hesitated to palm off the 'mission' to some other sucker.

Kakashi looked at me through his peripheral vision as he considered his answer for my question.

"Uh, let's see. Middle-aged woman with greying chestnut brown hair with extremely ancient looking eyes-"

He paused and I looked over at him curiously as he hesitated to complete his description.

"-and an alarming amount of strange chakra."

I raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean strange?"

"You'll understand when you meet her."

Kakashi said dismissively which left me to ponder the possibilities.

Surely Sasuke wouldn't be _that_ stupid enough to reveal himself to Baa-chan? She's not a stupid woman – thank fuck for that – and she'd figure it out and have him killed on the spot. Or at least when they could find him, nobody actually knows where he hangs out when he's not seeking out potential victims to sate his thirst. Or if they had found out, they weren't seen again – for obvious reasons.

Plus, if that happens, I'd be screwed as well. Baa-chan would definitely put two and two together and not only get four, but also realise that Sasuke had been in contact with me all this time, and would arrange to have my ass kicked from here to orbit. Knocking on the door, Kakashi and I exchanged curious glances before stepping into the office when Baa-chan called out:

"Come!"

We stepped in and my first thought when I saw the woman seated patiently in front of Baa-chan was,

_Nope, definitely not Sasuke. This really must be an actual mission. Okay, I'll hear what the mission is and decide if I fight or flight..._

"Ah, here's Naruto now."

Baa-chan voice was pleasant as she fixed me with a warm smile when I stepped into the room. My answering smile was strained as all I really wanted to do was sleep, when all of a sudden I was hit with a powerful chakra source that caused me to stagger slightly.

_Wow! Where did that come from?_

I was aware of Kakashi's helping hand on my shoulder and I looked up at him – his expression was serious and concerned and I turned and saw that Baa-chan had stiffened slightly, with Shizune tensing as well from where she was standing respectfully behind the Hokage. By the expressions on their faces, I could tell that they were all suspicious of the woman sitting in front of Baa-chan as well.

"Are you alright, Naruto?"

I looked up at the strange woman sitting opposite Baa-chan and fixed her with an astounded, mystified glare.

"Yeah. Just tripped over my feet."

I moved to stand formally in front of Baa-chan's desk, which unfortunately placed me next to the suspicious woman who was smiling serenely at me – apparently not concerned at how much she freaked me out.

_That's not good..._

Baa-chan took a silent breath in before getting down to the nitty gritties of my 'mission' which I was already dreading if I was working for this woman.

"Alright then. Now that you've arrived, Naruto, I'll give the low down on your mission."

She stood up and moved to perch at the front of her desk and gestured towards the woman.

"Naruto, this is Nakamura Chie."

I nodded respectfully.

"And this is Uzumaki Naruto. As you've requested."

The woman stood up and came over to me taking my hand in her soft, wrinkled peach coloured one.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Uzumaki-san. I've heard so many excellent things about you."

Everybody in the room tensed up. I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"Well, uh, thanks. But don't rub it in, you're gonna give me a swollen head."

I joked trying to lighten up the tense mood thick in the room and gave the woman a sheepish grin while looking at the others mentally thinking: _What's the hell's going on here?_

"Here are the details of your mission, Naruto."

Baa-chan passed me a folder which I picked up and opened warily, scanning through the contents.

"It's an A-Rank Mission where you'll be required to assist Nakamura-san search and rescue her nephew who has been kidnapped."

My head jerked up at the rank of the mission and I felt excitement buzzing in my veins. But also felt a lot of surprise and frowned.

"A-rank?"

Baa-chan nodded, raising an eyebrow.

"That's what I said, brat. I thought you of all people would be over the moon about this opportunity."

"Hell yeah I am, believe it! It's just that type of mission is usually reserved for Jonin level. Why am I being given this mission? I'm only chunin."

Both Kakashi and Baa-chan smiled slightly at my hesitation.

"Thank you for pointing that out, Naruto. I was aware of that fact and I tried to persuade Nakamura-san otherwise. But she wouldn't have a bar of it. Besides, I believe that you're ready to prove yourself worthy of being promoted to Jonin level by taking on a task that as you already pointed out, is reserved for Jonin ninjas only."

I felt a sense of pride creep up my spine.

"Okay then. Let's go!"

Baa-chan smirked.

"Very good. You have ten minutes to prepare for your mission. You and Kakashi are dismissed."

Kakashi and I bowed formally to Baa-chan and turned to leave the room, closing the door behind me. However, I didn't immediately leave. Instead, I waved 'see ya' to Kakashi who disappeared to read his book or whatever. But not before he muttered in my ear: a warning.

"I sensed something off about Nakamura-san. Please, be careful, Naruto and be on your guard at all times. You have a lot of people here who genuinely care about you and want you to come back safely."

I nodded stoically and fist bumped Kakashi before he vanished in a puff of smoke. I pressed my ear against the heavy wood of the door and heard Baa-chan's stern Hokage-voice as she laid down the terms to Nakamura-san regarding this mission.

"While I trust that Naruto will complete this mission with minimal problems or hassles. Should news of Naruto come back to me that he has been harmed in anyway, or that this mission was not as specified exactly – you shall feel the remorseless wrath of a long line of ninjas loyal to Naruto, with me at the head of the line. Am I understood?"

"I shall comply with your wishes Hokage-sama."

* * *

I nearly groaned in embarrassment and frustration when I finally got to the Village Gate, loaded down with my backpack which contained a weeks worth of clothing and other supplies – as specified in the folder Baa-chan had given me back in her office. I saw nearly all my friends waiting there for me and it quickly became obvious that news of my solo A-rank mission had spread like wildfire and I scanned the faces looking back at me, expressions ranging from impressed and envious (coming from Bushy Brow and Kiba) because I was a lowly chunin going on a mission designed specifically for Jonin ninja or ANBU guard ninja – which paid some truly fantastic cash, not that the mission was solely based upon money.

It was to test the strength, endurance and thinking power of a ninja to see if they could cope on a mission like this by themselves. Other emotions I could see (mostly coming from Sakura and Hinata) were anxiety and stress – probably because there was a strong chance that Sasuke could attack me and possibly kill me on this mission. All my friends were completely ignoring Nakamura-san who was standing off to one side observing the attention I was receiving the moment I had walked into view, and seemed unconcerned about being snubbed. A streak of pink clouded my vision and I instantly felt my ribs cracking under extreme pressure as I received a hug from my best friend.

"Please be safe, Naruto."

Sakura pressed her face into my collarbone and I could feel a dampness there as Sakura's fearful tears for my safety fell. I smiled softly, feeling touched and wrapped my arms around her slender back, rubbing soothing circles into it to calm her down.

"I'm not planning on doing anything stupid, Sakura-chan. I'll be back, don't you worry."

I released her and received the same treatment from the other girls and words of encouragement from the boys. When they finally left – although I was wishing that one of them could come with me – I turned to Nakamura-san and she came forward, with a superior smirk on her wrinkled face.

I scowled at her.

"Ladies first."

I gestured a hand towards the road, because I had no idea where we were going and watched a huge grin spread across the woman's face.

"And they say gallantry is dead?"

The woman mused and latched onto my arm. I sighed and we took off down the road, with the guard ninjas sniggering at me as we went. I threw them both the two finger salute and kept moving. A couple of hours later, walking down the road from Konoha, I was getting thoroughly bored and wished that she'd at least strike up a conversation, when Nakamura-san paused at the same path Sakura, Sai and I had passed on our way home from our mission the day I was almost molested by Sasuke in my Apartment.

"What's going on?"

"My dear boy, I would have thought by now that it would be obvious what was going on."

I turned to look at the woman suspiciously. She snorted when she realised I had no idea what the hell she was going on about.

"And he told me that you were bright. Silly me."

Nakamura-san released my arm and moved past me, walking deeper down the path that had previously scared me shitless – it still did, although now I know it had some sort of connection with Sasuke. It sort of made things better. But I still frowned at the insult.

"Who's _he_?" I retorted.

"Why Sasuke-kun, of course."

She looked at me like it was obvious – apparently it had been. My eyes widened in surprise.

"You know Sasuke?"

"Yes. For many years now. I was a nanny to both him and his older brother, Itachi - god rest his soul - when they were both young children. Later on I became Sasuke-kun's close friend and confidant."

I scoffed at that.

She rolled her eyes, choosing to ignore me and started making her way down the path towards our hidden destination. I sprinted to catch up with her – she was surprisingly spry for a woman of her age.

"You've gotta be shitting me. I know you're lying – even if that were possible, you should be dead and decaying in your grave by now." I insisted.

She paused and smiled at me slightly, seeming to understand my reasoning.

"You're right, Naruto-kun. It indeed wouldn't be possible – if I wasn't a good and powerful witch blessed with long life."

I skidded to a halt after hearing her words and my mouth swung open like a trap door.

_Well...shit..._

"I'm here to help you fulfil your promise to Sasuke."

I frowned at her.

"How do you know about that? Only Sasuke and I know about that." I protested.

Nakamura-san chuckled indulgently at me.

"Sasuke-kun and I have been in constant contact with each other. Ever since that terrible day when he was forcibly changed into that vile creature he has become."

She pulled a disgusted face.

"You were there?"

She nodded.

"And how are you going to help me accomplish the seemingly impossible?"

Nakamura-san spread out her arms and spun on the spot, indicating the area around us.

"I got you out of the village didn't I?"

"You mean you lied to my Hokage?"

I accused, frowning in annoyance. She snorted.

"I told a white lie, you foolish boy – it's better than nothing. You weren't going to be able to get out of that village any other way without being classified as a 'rogue ninja' for deserting it without authorisation."

I sighed and suddenly noticed something white out of the corner of my eye. Lying in some bushes nearby was a leaf – it was weird because it was completely white, stem and all. I picked it up via its stem and held up to eye level staring at it in astonishment. Nakamura-san came over to my side and took the leaf from me, studying it and a small, secretive smile appeared on her face before she handed the weird plant back to me.

"I'd hold onto that, if I were you."

I shrugged at the weird suggestion but put the leaf into my pocket with the golden bar that hadn't left my pocket since Sasuke had given it to me yesterday.

"It'll make a great souvenir for Sakura when I get back."

I announced, grinning and we both continued walking. I didn't see Nakamura-san roll her eyes. Several silent minutes later another white thing was discovered: an acorn. This continued for a while until I had found four different items – all of them white: a leaf, an acorn, a flower and a feather.

_I've found weirder things..._

"Sasuke must be really desperate for you to come inside the castle. He should've made those items harder to find."

Nakamura-san commented, I looked at her in surprise.

"You mean Sasuke left these behind?"

"Yes. That's correct."

I pulled out the white objects and the golden bar and held them out to her.

"So would they have anything to do with this golden bar that Sasuke gave me?"

Nakamura-san picked up the golden bar and examined it.

"Oh most definitely. But I cannot tell you how to use it though."

Why isn't life any simpler? I groaned in frustration and continued following her. Suddenly we came to a dead end.

"Did we forget to take a turn back there?"

I asked quizzically, thumbing behind me. My companion shook her head firmly.

"I'm not supposed to tell you what to do Naruto-kun. You need to use your brains and figure it out for yourself. I'm just here to make sure you don't get lost."

I growled angrily and surveyed my surroundings.

_Okay, let's see what we've got here..._

The 'dead end' was actually an incredibly small but beautiful glade that was curtained in ivy and had loads of ancient looking trees with large moss covered roots surrounding the area. Late afternoon sunlight shone in through the trees and the ivy and gave the glade an almost mystical feeling – the place literally sparkled like diamonds. At the centre of the glade was one large stump (which the sunlight was shining directly on) and four smaller stumps that stood around it for an unknown purpose. Just beyond the large stump was a tranquil waterfall that cascaded gracefully into a crystal clear pool of water below. I could see just through the curtain of water to the stone wall on the other side.

There was something really weird just behind it...

_The fuck?_

I went over to the waterfall and cautiously pushed my hand through the sheeting water. Nothing unusual happened – but a weird, propelling feeling I was suddenly getting was coming at me from all sides.

"Find something?"

Nakamura-san called out sounding annoyingly smug. I ignored her question and started blindly groping around the wall, searching for something that I was sure was here. The icy water was making my hand turn numb, despite Kyuubi's influence that automatically kicked in when my temperature dropped or rose.

"Woah!"

I hollered as my hand suddenly sank through the wall without warning, which caused me to get a face full of water. I pulled back coughing and gagging and realised that I had stumbled across a hole in the wall.

"Cool! I found something!"

The hole in the wall was long and rectangular and almost instantly something warm started scalding my thigh from my pocket. Frowning, I dug my hand into my pocket and produced the golden bar Sasuke had given me. Instantly, I shoved the brick into the hole and like magic, the four small stumps instantly changed into the same four separate colours on the golden bar, and the water from the waterfall turned a gruesome blood red.

_Okay... freaking out now!_

I turned and glowered at Nakamura-san.

"This is a dream right? I'm stuck in some fucked up dream?"

Nakamura-san looked at me strangely and because of my assumption. It was then that I remembered that I had drunk a lot of Sake at that party Ino and Sakura had thrown for me to celebrate me being one step closer to fulfilling my dream of being Hokage (and not being shadowed by my teammates 24/7), and I grinned nervously at Nakamura-san's unimpressed, sharp look. It was the only possible conclusion I could come up with to explain this madness: I must have passed out drunk after one too many bottles of Sake, and I'm currently having a drunken dream.

"I'm still drunk aren't I?"

I started laughing nervously and pinched myself to prove that it was a dream.

"OW!"

I paled. This was no dream.

I looked at Nakamura-san for answers, but she smiled at me, shaking her head and crossing her arms over her broad chest. I closed my eyes and massaged my temples with my knuckles trying to think what I should do next. I shuffled over to the large stump and sank down on it, putting my face into it and groaning in frustration.

_ Okay, think Naruto. Prove to yourself and your friends that you're not the moron they think you are..._

A hand descended on my shoulder and I flinched, not expecting it. I looked up into Nakamura-san's face and saw sympathy and encouragement on her haggard face.

"Don't worry, Naruto-kun. You'll figure it out, just relax and go over what you already know, and what you might have seen."

I took that as a hint and instantly remembered the four white objects sitting in my pocket, collecting pocket lint. I pulled them out and stared down at them trying to figure out why I had decided to pick them up, and what significance it might have towards my current, annoying problem. Absently, I fumbled with the underside of the white leaf and felt something rough on it. I flipped it over and saw to my surprise that there were words written on it that hadn't been there before.

_Figures I'd miss something like that..._

_**I see your true COLOURS shining through...**_

_ Huh? What's that supposed to mean?_

But then it hit me. I glanced over at the waterfall, as I already suspected that there was something weird about that water and decided to test a theory I had come up with. I pulled the white feather from my pocket and approached the red waterfall cautiously. Carefully, so I wouldn't lose the feather all together in case my 'theory' was simply what it was, 'a theory', I lowered the feather into the water and felt my eyes widen in shock when almost instantly the feather changed into a vibrant shade of blood red.

The waterfall then instantly changed into an emerald green colour.

_Wow... I can't believe that worked._

"Good thinking, Naruto-kun!"

Nakamura-san applauded me and I grinned dubiously at how stupid this theory really was. I was still mystified that that had been the solution to why I had those white objects in the first place. It was like I had unknowingly picked up blank pieces of canvas that were in the shape of everyday objects. I followed the same method with the other three objects until I had in my hands a red feather, a green leaf (duh), a yellow flower and a blue acorn.

_Now what do I do?_

It was becoming increasingly harder to see what was going on because the sun was already setting.

"You better hurry up, Naruto-kun. I'm only supposed to be here to get you safely into the castle grounds. I'm not supposed to stick around after dark due to the dangers."

I ignored her completely as I racked my brain trying to figure out my next move. I glanced warily at the waterfall which was now gushing crystal clear water – like it should be naturally – thinking that it would point to my next task, but nothing looked remotely obvious. I cursed colourfully, causing Nakamura-san to react indignantly. I moved to sit back down on the stump to think, when I accidentally stumbled non-ninja-like on a tree root and dropped the red feather on a nearby stump. Instantly, the stump and feather started glowing red brightly.

_But... but... that's so lame. That can't be what I have to do next!_

I protested disbelievingly. But running out of options – I sighed resignedly and placed the four coloured items on the separate stumps and almost instantly the ivy on my left parted like a curtain in a Theatre and revealed to me a large iron gate with an extremely complicated looking lock on the front of it and an ugly-as-sin gargoyle statue perched on the top of the gate itself.

I groaned in frustration when I saw the lock and realised it was yet another task to complete. Thankfully, Nakamura-san intercepted me before I could even take one step forward and clasped one of my hands in hers.

"Congratulations, Naruto-kun. You've made it to the castle."

I eyed the castle warily. It looked kinda like my mission had turned into a suicide one, because the damn castle looked kinda foreboding and practically oozed death.

I gulped painfully.

"Nah, stuff this. I choose life."

I turned to get the hell out of here and resume my already somewhat imperfect life, but instantly I felt dizzy and nauseous, and could feel penetrating eyes burning a hole into the back of my head. I whimpered pathetically and could feel tears forming behind my eyelids.

_ Sasuke, please. I don't wanna die – I have my dream to fulfil, and friends and 'family' counting on me to come home, **alive**..._

The family I was referring to was Iruka-sensai (who is practically my father), Kakashi-sensai and Sakura.

I pleaded both fearfully and tearfully with the thin air, knowing that Sasuke could somehow hear my thoughts, even though I couldn't physically see him. But then, and I shit you not – I could swear that I felt somebody wrapping their arms tenderly around my waist and burying their head into my back, holding me tightly as though they were comforting me. I flinched in shock and looked over at Nakamura-san feeling surprised at how forward and _intimate _her gesture was.

But she hadn't moved from where I had left her standing when I refused to go into the castle. Instead, all I received from her was a grandmotherly smile.

"You can feel Sasuke-kun holding you can't you?"

I looked away, feeling the blush on my cheeks rising. The phantom embrace spoke volumes – Sasuke didn't want me to die either, but neither did he want me to leave – both because he wanted me to help him and because he and I were friends now. I lowered my head in defeat – I was not one to bail on my friends in their time of need.

"Alright, Sasuke. I'll help you. I just hope I don't live to regret this."

The phantom embrace disappeared and I turned back to Nakamura-san who reached out her hand to me.

"Here, you'll need these to get into the castle."

In her hand were three mirror pieces that had been cut into circles.

_What the?_

"And thank you, Naruto-kun for everything you're about to do."_  
_

I took the pieces and looked back at the woman questioningly, but saw that she had vanished without a trace. All that I could see was the iron gate in front of me.

_Shitfuck..._

The lock itself was pretty straight forward: all I had to do was place the rounded mirrors in three rounded holes that were in plain view on the lock and I was home free. So that's what I did. Mentally, I started doing a victory dance – maybe this mission wouldn't be so hard after all. After I placed the last mirror piece into the lock, a blinding white light immediately appeared and I shielded my eyes, trying to block out the light and save my eyeballs from roasting.

"Arrgh. That hurt."

I didn't notice the gargoyle suddenly disappear. I opened my eyes and found myself holding a small stone tablet with five boxes that had been chiselled into the stone.

_What the hell is this? Hmmm... maybe Sasuke will know, once I find him of course..._

An ear piercing shriek broke the night air and I spun 'round to see that same gargoyle flying at me – only this time it was fucking huge and I had no time to dodge it before it raked its talons across my bicep, cutting into it very deep.

"AHHHH!"

I screamed and clutched my arm in a death grip, as my blood ran thickly and freely down my arm and trickled over my fingers as I tried to stem the flow with my hand.

_Relax, Kyuubi hasn't let you bleed out yet. Why would he let it happen now?_

I tried telling myself.

But when I didn't feel the familiar healing chakra Kyuubi used whenever I had been injured, I started panicking again. I sank to my knees – feeling faint and face-planted on the cobblestone driveway of the castle, as I heard the agonised shriek of the Gargoyle coming at me and the familiar snarl of-

_Who is that?_

The last thing I saw and felt before I blacked out completely was my body being picked up bridal style and my head thudded against something cold and hard. I peered up through my eyelashes to see Sasuke staring down at me.

His eyes were blood red and he looked pissed...


	8. Shattered

**DISCLAIMER: **Even though I desperately wished I did – I do not own 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden'. If they were real, Naruto would be my best friend and Sasuke would be mine!

**PAIRINGS: **SasuNaru (main), AkuSasu (forced relationship)

**THEME SONG: **Shattered - Trading Yesterday

**A/N: **No flames or mean comments, please. Saying 'No offence' only intensifies the offence felt.

My apologies for the late entry, a lot of things have happened on this end!

1) My laptop decided to die on me by doing the 'Blue Screen of Death' and I lost everything. So I had to start over with the chapters I had been writing at that point - FRICKEN ANNOYING!  
2) I've just started a new job and I'm currently undergoing training for the role.  
3) Received news that I got into University next year and I'm VERY excited :D

So, yeah. Don't worry - I'm going to continue adding new chapters as soon as I can :)

xx

* * *

**SHATTERED**

"_Yesterday I died, tomorrow's bleeding.  
__I fall into your sunlight…"_

_**~SASUKE'S P.O.V~**_

So, it's come to this has it?

My fate and unknown future now rests on the thin but muscular shoulders of a hyperactive, unpredictable child with blonde hair that would put the sun to shame - if I were able to see it once more and step out into his warming rays without being roasted alive and reduced to nothing but a pile of useless ashes - and eyes of the purest blue I had ever had the pleasure of looking into and of which have looked back into my obsidian ones without the barest hint of fear?

Hn.

I suppose I should be grateful for my shortcomings. At least, I hope I haven't been landed with a complete imbecile as my saviour and hope bringer.

I mean, Naruto must have some brains in that head of his, otherwise he wouldn't have succeeded in becoming a trained and somewhat lethal ninja whom from what I had learnt so far, has dreams of becoming a leader who is admired and respected. Not shunned and condemned into a life of torment and misery… or is that my life?

I cannot decide which is worse: Having a life where people know who you are and the demon you carry, but at the same time are loathed and feared _**because **_of that demon, and thus for nearly sixteen years are lonely and barely passing through life with your sanity in tact despite having a few close friends who although like you, are also just as wary as the ones who hate you?

OR

Actually being a demon, not by choice, and having to survive by living in a box during the daytime with someone you loathe but put up with for the sake of your own sanity, and by the light of the full moon, feasting off the living blood of innocent people - hoping that one day you'll be free of this hellish existence to be your own person and die so you could see your beloved family once more?

"AHHHH!"

A very familiar, agonised scream pulls me out of my sleep and my brooding thoughts as I heave open the heavy coffin lid and rush over to the balcony overlooking the thick, green forest surrounding the castle - where one could see Konoha in the distance, the Castle's private Avery, and the cobblestone courtyard where I instantly see the familiar blonde mane of hair and the shocking colour of fluro orange that could only belong to Naruto, trying to fight off that stupid stone gargoyle that sits on the gate to the Castle grounds.

My eyes widen when I see Naruto suddenly fall to one knee and start searching around for a weapon, whilst pressing a hand against what appeared to be a gushing wound on his left bicep.

"Shit!" I swore and instantly vaulted over the banister and landed catlike on the ground below before sprinting as fast as my legs could carry me towards the fallen blonde idiot.

And I was right the first time - I _had_ been saddled with a complete imbecile with the reality of my future and who apparently cannot follow simple instructions. Even if his life truly depended on it. Hadn't I told him not to travel at night when there was a VERY REAL chance that he could be attacked by deadly creatures?

But I'll yell at him later, first I'll deal with that annoying stone gargoyle so it doesn't kill my one chance at a second life. I growled angrily as my eyes bled red from my Sharingan and stood in front of Naruto protectively as the relentless stone gargoyle made a U-Turn and started to return for a second chance of mortally wounding Naruto - not that it'll get that chance if I had anything to say about it.

I raised my leg and aimed a solid roundhouse kick to the creature and watched it go down for the count.

_That's what you get for touching my Naruto… wait? What the hell am I thinking?_

The smell of blood attracted my attention and frowning, I turned and cursed when I saw Naruto falling over in a dead faint from shock. I caught him before he could make impact with the cobblestone ground and flinched when the stronger scent of Naruto's blood filled my nostrils. I fought my instinctive urges unsuccessfully and to my dismay my fangs elongated along with an overwhelming desire to feast, but I quickly turned my head away and fought again with my inner demon.

_You dobe! _I snarled inwardly and glared at the helpless, vulnerable blonde ninja now lying bridal style in my arms. Naruto, probably sensing me glaring at him, turned his head and stared up at me though lidded eyes.

"Sasuke?" He slurred before finally fainting again. I sighed exasperatedly before shifting his weight in my arms and turning to head for the main entrance of the castle.

* * *

I made my way through the corridors of the castle to a vacant room and laid Naruto down on a Poster Bed on his uninjured side before retreating a good distance away so I wasn't tempted by his blood.

I gulped uneasily and turned away to ponder my next move. The most obvious thing right now would be to take care of Naruto's wound so he didn't bleed out on the bed - which also begged the question: why wasn't Kurama healing him? Shouldn't that be what happens directly after Naruto had been injured in the first place?

A bored yawn froze me in my tracks.

_What the fuck?_

"**Penny for your thoughts, Uchiha?" **a deep, cold and ancient sounding voice suddenly rang out in the room.

I looked over my shoulder to see the most horrifying and confusing sight I had ever seen in my 116 years of hell, and I'd seen some fucked up things after spending nearly all my time with Akumu. Naruto was now sitting up right on the bed in a very casual position (one leg bent upright with his injured arm dangling carelessly on the knee, while the other leg curled up underneath him and he balanced his weight on his other hand on the bed behind him).

Only I'm pretty sure that it wasn't Naruto sitting there with a self-satisfied smirk on his face. Presumably because his normal beautiful cerulean eyes were now a shocking shade of blood red and his pupils were slitted, the whisker scars on his cheeks, originally, thin and barely noticeable unless you got up really close to his face were now thicker and blacker, and had elongated so that Naruto actually looked like a fox; and his teeth had become fangs which jutted out over his bottom lip.

His blonde hair now had red streaks through the silky blonde strands.

"N-Naruto?" I asked, frowning slightly.

"**Close, but no cigar." **the strange entity possessing Naruto's body responded dryly. Then he smirked.

"**But just for kicks, why don't cha try again?" **He drawled, clearly enjoying himself immensely.

I narrowed my eyes at the cocky bastard before turning and giving him my full attention.

"Karuma." I retorted knowing I had the answer right and shuddered when 'Naruto' grinned showing all his sharp incisors.

"**In the flesh, so to speak. And what's with all the formalities, eh? Kyuubi will suffice for now." **'Kyuubi' confirmed and started stretching out his limbs, make popping and locking sounds as he did so.

"How the hell do you know who I am?" I demanded.

'Kyuubi' raised an eyebrow before extending two fingers and aiming them at his eyes. I noticed with morbid curiosity that Naruto's fingernails had also lengthened into sharp talons as well.

"**These eyes do a lot more than just decorate my face, boy. I also use them for seeing as well. I saw you that very day I was sealed into this whelp." **'Kyuubi' replied thumbing himself in the chest before picking his teeth with one of his fingernails. It was my turn to raise an eyebrow at this and shudder at the gross display.

"Well if you saw me then, why didn't you kill me? And what were you doing in Konoha in the first place?" I questioned him warily.

"**Which question do you want me to answer first?" **'Kyubbi' asked still not dropping that smirk on his face.

I glowered at him, not in the mood to listen to a moron waste my time when I could be figuring out how to save my own ass from Akumu with the obvious reluctant help of Naruto alongside me. But before I could say this to him, 'Kyuubi' dropped the sardonic humour and got to the point.

"**When I saw you on that day, I didn't view you as a threat even though you were quite obviously just as dangerous as I am. As for why I was in Konoha, I was summoned there by an unknown source to destroy the village and kill every man, woman and child." **He answered seeming to rather enjoy the image he had apparently gotten in his head because a somewhat distant expression had settled in his eyes.

I didn't like that expression on Naruto's face.

"And you enjoyed doing that?" I questioned him, still feeling uneasy.

"**And you wouldn't I suppose?" **He countered with a question of his own.

"Hardly. I have my faults but taking the lives of innocent people is not what I consider amusement. Thank you all the same, I do it as a matter of necessity _**only**_." I retorted with disgust and slouched against the wall with my arms crossed over my chest still trying to ignore the incredibly attractive scent of the blood still oozing out of Naruto's arm.

I really needed to attend to that very soon. 'Kyubbi' snorted unimpressed and shifted from his casual position to sit Indian style on the doona.

"**Humph. As much as I hate to say it, I think you're right." **'Kyuubi' admitted reluctantly and started sulking.

"I am?"

"**Indeed. Having existed for nearly sixteen years imprisoned inside the body of a passive, hyperactive teenage ninja has forced me to learn some hard truths about my past actions."**

That thought intrigued me. I smirked smugly at him.

"Such as?" I pressed, believing I was going to enjoy what I was about to hear from the mouth of a long feared bijuu. 'Kyuubi' sighed before answering my question.

"**Because of me, Naruto has suffered incredibly and despite my urges for him to just ruthlessly punish those who mistreat him - he had chosen instead of shoulder the mistreatment. And as a result, he had shown me that killing is never an option unless it is the only choice." **He paused briefly, taking a trip down memory lane.

Was it possible that Naruto had somehow managed the impossible and tamed the wild beast?

"**He is loud, obnoxious, rude and annoying as all hell-" **

_**That**_ I had to agree with…

"**But at the same time is loyal, steadfast, brave and courageous. And incredibly kind to all people, especially the ones who take it upon themselves to cause him great harm. Which has caused me to become extremely fond of the whelp." **He said smiling slightly, in spite of the sad tale he had been telling me.

But then his expression grew fierce and I became momentarily cautious and put my guard up.

"**Which brings me to a question of my own-" **

He trained a piercing gaze on me and I felt like I was being x-rayed from head to toe. I hated that - it was something my father, Itachi and even now Akumu did when they suspected that I was up to no good, or something that they would highly disapprove of. I was so preoccupied in the expression 'Kyuubi' was giving me that I almost missed the question.

"**What are your intentions towards the brat?" **He asked seriously.

I looked at him in disbelief.

"Excuse me?"

'Kyuubi's' eyes narrowed into slits.

"**You heard me, Uchiha." **He growled impatiently. I frowned back at him, not liking his tone.

"I fail to see what business it is of yours." I snapped back.

At that point, 'Kyuubi' launched himself at me and pinned me to the wall, wrapping Naruto's thin, callused fingers around my throat and cutting off the oxygen I didn't need, but I still needed my voice box to speak. I struggled to free myself, but discovered to my discomfort and annoyance that the Kyuubi was stronger than I had anticipated even with the added vampiric strength on top of the strength I had accumulated when I had been a living, breathing shinobi.

_Fuck he's strong…_

"**You should know by now that anything concerning Naruto concerns me, so don't fuck with me! Now, what are your intentions towards him?!" **He snarled and pressed slightly harder on my windpipe.

"It doesn't matter now. He's helping me with a problem, and nothing more." I croaked, half-lying and bucking to try and break free.

But 'Kyubbi' was persistent.

"**Don't lie to me, boy." **He growled.

I studied him for a moment and saw 'Kyuubi' wince, finally feeling the effects of the wound on Naruto's arm and he released the hold on my windpipe. Feeling resentful of the beast that dwelled in Naruto's body, I was extremely reluctant to actually tell him the truth, but realised in delaying telling the truth, it would result in more blood loss from Naruto.

"You should lay down. You're losing a lot of blood." I insisted, growing concerned (and increasingly hungry). 'Kyuubi' shot me a weird look - a cross between amused and calculating.

"**Gee, thanks Genius. But that won't get you out of telling me what your intentions towards Naruto are." **He promised.

I rolled my eyes and moved to press 'Kyuubi' down on the doona, but tripped on the fancy valance around the bottom of the bed and ended up laying on top of him instead. An amused, almost enticing expression appeared on 'Kyuubi's' face when we both realised at the same time that our faces were inches away each other. So much so that I could feel his hot breath on my face.

I gave an un-Uchiha like 'grunt' and instantly scrambled off the other's body, feeling for the first time in many years, extremely uncomfortable.

"**Ahh! I see how it is…" **cooed 'Kyuubi' and moved into a 'come hither' position on the bed, that I tried desperately to look away from.

_Don't panic! Don't panic! Oh my God, he's got a great body… NO! Shut up! Stay calm, stay calm…_

I froze instantly when I felt arms wrap themselves around my waist, holding me close (and being an unfair tease) and then 'Kyuubi' burying his face into my back. I shuddered with pleasure at the warmth his body created against my frigid skin.

"**I think it would be wise to tell me the whole truth and nothing but the truth right now, Uchiha. Don't you agree?" **murmured 'Kyuubi' teasingly.

_Hell no! _Was what I wanted to answer with.

But I knew that he was right, if I wanted to progress any further with my plans. I sighed and pulled his arms away from my waist so I could turn around and look him reluctantly in the eyes.

"My original plan was to lure Naruto back to this castle and chain him up in the tower as a meal for my mistress…"

'Kyuubi' growled warningly underneath his breath and I saw him clench his hand into a fist.

"So that same night I first saw him, I followed him back to his Apartment and waited in the shadows for him, so I could begin seducing him and 'hypnotising' him into coming back to the Castle…"

He bristled but nevertheless remained silent wishing to hear the rest of my explanation.

"Unfortunately, that pink-haired harpy found him and took him to that Tsunade woman, where she forced Naruto to tell her the entire truth, at which I sent a clone in the form of a raven to intercept him and try to stop him from revealing what had happened that night…"

I sighed.

"But it failed and Naruto revealed all. But to my surprise, I wasn't really upset. So I paid Naruto another visit using the same clone, and found out how incredibly stubborn and trustworthy he really was. I saw an opportunity to save myself, and I grabbed it with both hands." I explained.

'Kyuubi' still looked a little confused as well as disgusted with me.

"**What do you mean? Aren't you at all happy being an Vampire?" **He drawled, sitting back down Indian style again.

"Don't be absurd! I never wanted this existence. That bitch Akumu took it upon herself to make me the way I am, and I loathe her for it!" I spat through gritted teeth, offended that 'Kyuubi' would've come to that ridiculous conclusion.

'Kyuubi' made an 'oh' expression as he started to piece together what I had told him already.

"**So I'm guessing you asked Naruto to help you with your curse? Am I correct?" **

I nodded.

"**And he agreed?" **

I rolled my eyes again.

"Obviously. Otherwise he wouldn't be here and I'd be back at square one… again."

'Kyuubi' threw me a filthy look that I ignored in favour of continuing my explanation to exonerate myself in both my eyes and hopefully 'Kyuubi's'.

"Because Tsunade had placed 'bodyguards' on him as a precautionary act against me so I wouldn't try anything again."

I snorted unimpressed. If I really wanted to try something like I had before, I would've done it regardless of his 'bodyguards'.

"Naruto and I secretly talked in his room every night to discuss our plans and to get to know each other a bit more…" I trailed off a bit, thinking back over the countless conversations I had with Naruto only days before and came to an unexpected conclusion.

_I love him…_

'Kyuubi' waved a hand back and forth in front of my eyes, breaking me out of my trance and I snapped a hand up and gently grabbed Naruto's wrist in my hand.

"**And?" **'Kyuubi' pressed trying to get me to finish.

"And I came to the same conclusion you had about him." I admitted quietly.

"One night, Naruto told me excitedly that Tsunade had lifted the bodyguards from him and told him that he was going to be the next Hokage after she eventually stepped down from the post. But then after saying that looked really upset about something."

I frowned when 'Kyuubi' didn't say anything, and I took that as an indication to continue.

"That was when he told me his life story and I could feel nothing but a fiery anger filling me up when he told me this. And I also felt an overwhelming urge to protect him."

Something wet and salty trickled down my cheek and I realised to my mortification that I was crying again. I turned away, wiping away the tears and felt an unexpected comfort. I turned and looked at 'Kyuubi' who was staring at me with sympathy.

I instantly shut down - I didn't need his sympathy.

"**You love him. Don't you?" **He asked me seriously. I bit my lip and nodded.

"Yes."

I reached up and delicately trailed a hand down the face that I loved so much and watched in amusement as the normally ferocious demon that inhabited Naruto's body instantly closed his eyes and leaned into my touch.

A sudden thought occurred to me and I retracted my hand.

"Naruto can't hear what we're saying right now, can he?" I asked, feeling slightly paranoid. 'Kyuubi' chuckled and sat back into a slouch against the headboard.

"**Relax, Uchiha. Naruto can only hear what I allow him to." **He replied, winking at me.

I frowned, not entirely sure I trusted him. Then froze when I saw 'Kyuubi' tossing something back and forth in his hands - something small, square and fragile looking.

"What's that you have in your hands?" I asked. 'Kyuubi' squinted down at the block in his hands and shrugged.

"**Search me." **

He chucked it carelessly in my general direction and I snatched it out of thin air, closely examining it. It was exactly what I had been searching for ages for. The link to finding one of three keys to a special compartment in my Tower.

A Moonlight Tablet.

"**It was in Naruto's hands when I repossessed his body for the moment." **He stopped talking, which caused me to look up at him and saw him wince once again.

Now that I had the opportunity to really look at him, he really looked paler than usual.

"**Speaking of which, Uchiha. You better take care of the brat's wound." **I frowned and drew in a deep breath so I wouldn't suddenly maul Naruto.

I looked at him sternly.

"That reminds me. How come you didn't immediately start healing him the moment he actually got wounded?"

Again, 'Kyuubi' shrugged.

"**Sorry, I can't help you there, kid. But I can tell you that something is blocking my chakra flow in your castle. If it wasn't for that, then yes, I would've had that wound healed by now." **

Oh great. Now I have to warn him to be extremely careful not to get critically injured again when he's searching for more moonlight tablets during the day. It's not as though I have enough on my plate to worry about. But now that I really thought about it… Naruto _is_ kind of worth it to be honest.

"**Right then. I'll leave you to it. Nice chatting with you, Uchiha." **

'Kyuubi' drawled before mock saluting me and allowing himself to revert back to being Naruto. Slowly, the blood red eyes faded away to blue, at which point Naruto's eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed onto the doona.

* * *

_Okay, Sasuke. You can do this and not lose control… _

I psyched myself up and drew in another deep breath before moving over to inspect the damage on Naruto's bicep. It wasn't too serious - mostly just clotting and crusting over right now, but it still needed to be cleaned up and bandaged.

I moved from the room in search of what I needed to complete my task. I cleaned up the gash and bandaged it up, whilst refraining from breathing and then disposed of the soiled linen.

"Sasuke…?"

I froze and turned to see Naruto had woken up. I moved over to him and greeted him.

"Yeah? Are you alright?" I asked gently.

Naruto nodded sleepily and tried to look around the room.

"Where the hell am I?" He slurred, half-asleep.

I tenderly smoothed back his hair from his face, copying the same actions my mother used to do whenever I had woken up prematurely during the night.

"Shhh. Don't worry about that now. Just go back to sleep." I whispered soothingly into his ear.

Naruto nodded drowsily and fell back into a deep slumber. I gently caressed his sleeping cheek, lingering momentarily before reluctantly moving away. Standing up from the bed, I turned and took one final look at the sleeping dobe and whispered:

"I love you…"

Before turning and walking smoothly from the room.

The moonlight tablet clutched tightly in my hand...


	9. Fire, Wind, Water, Lightning and Earth

**DISCLAIMER: **Even though I desperately wished I did – I do not own 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden'. If they were real, Naruto would be my best friend and Sasuke would be mine!

**PAIRINGS: **SasuNaru (main), AkuSasu (forced relationship), SaiSaku

**A/N: **No flames or mean comments, please. Saying 'No offence' only intensifies the offence felt.

**THEME SONG: **Everything You Want - Vertical Horizon

* * *

**FIRE, WIND, WATER, LIGHTNING & EARTH**

"_He's everything you want.  
__He's everything you need.  
__He's everything inside of you that you wish you could be.  
__He says all the right things.  
__At exactly the right time.  
__But he means nothing to you.  
__And you don't know why."_

_**~SASUKE'S P.O.V~**_

Clutching the tablet in my hands like a lifeline, I made my way downstairs and out the door towards the Castle's private Avery, all while gritting my teeth in irritation because the Avery housed Akumu's rare and magical birds (who completely abhorred Akumu, and adored me - _oh great, just what I wanted, to be admired by a bunch of annoying disease ridden birds…_) that could actually talk, worse than Naruto could when surrounded by his friends, and we all know that Naruto is a highly enthusiastic and happy-go-lucky person.

I approached the gates which had been sealed shut with a blood tag seal by Akumu and sighing impatiently. I bit my thumb, drawing blood, and smeared it over the seal which instantly broke apart, and then watched as the gate swung open with an eerie groan.

The Avery was actually one of the very few places I didn't mind visiting now and then, because it was a relatively quiet place to sit back and think, mediate and even to train secretly when Akumu wasn't around trying to rule my life. Usually because she was on one of her long, random trips where I wasn't 'allowed' to follow her on, or even when I wasn't in the mood to go and maintain my parents' old mansion in Konoha. It was a large enough room with an assortment of different trees such as sakura, oak, Burch and even a couple of Apple trees with a few of the Apples both still clinging to the branches or already fallen to the ground rotting away. Some of the Apples even had chunks bitten out of it from ravenous birds having a bite or two. There was also well tended green grass underneath our feet.

But because there were birds living in here, the Avery had been concealed within an invisible cage constructed by Akumu so that they couldn't escape, but it did allow sunlight to flood in during the daytime and moonlight to flood in during the night. At the centre of the room was what looked like a sundial, but was in fact a marble pedestal which was used for the Moonlight Tablets should anyone actually find them - which Naruto had done for me, unintentionally. The pedestal actually did work like a sundial, only instead of using sunlight, it used the moonlight.

The moment I walked in, I was instantly bombarded with different greetings coming at me from all sides and tested my patience even further:

"**IT'S SASUKE!"  
**"**SASUKE-KUN'S BACK!** **HEY EVERYBODY! SASUKE-KUN'S BACK!"  
**"**HEY WHAT'S IN HIS HAND?"  
**"_**(gasp) **_**IT'S A MOONLIGHT TABLET!"  
**"**OOOH! SHE'S NOT GOING TO LIKE THAT!"  
**"**LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE ONE STEP CLOSER TO YOUR FREEDOM, SASUKE-KUN!"**

I bristled with annoyance.

I didn't think it was actually possible, but I'm even more reluctant to be in here. It reminded me unpleasantly of when I had still been human, growing up and training to become a qualified ninja - so I could impress my highly critical father and escape from underneath my brother's shadow - and even after my parents had been killed and my brother went on the run, I had been followed around constantly by throngs of annoying groupies who used to throw themselves at me asking endless questions about myself, attempting to score a date out with me or to simply drool or faint whenever I walked by.

Feeling my eyebrow twitching, I tried counting backwards from ten to calm myself down before I did something really unfortunate - like break the Moonlight Tablet now clenched in a death grip in my hand. Something I really couldn't afford to happen. When the birds still didn't shut the hell up, something inside me snapped and I looked up.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY!" I snarled.

There was finally blissful silence, broken only by the high pitched, drawn out chirp of nearby cicadas and the soothing trickling sound of the indoor creek that Akumu had randomly assembled in here for some reason. I never found out the reason why, probably because I didn't give two shits about anything Akumu did, and counted my blessings that she was never like any of those clueless, annoying groupies I 'grew up' surrounded with against my wishes, and started bragging and gossiping to me about why she actually assembled it in the first place.

Like I actually would've cared.

Gulping nervously, I approached the Pedestal and gave it a quick glance - in the centre of the stone was a large square shaped groove, in which I immediately put the tablet into. There was a blinding, drawn out flash of white light that I shielded my eyes from the moment the tablet was in place and when the light faded, the originally blank tablet now had little symbols etched within the five windows.

Kanji characters to be exact:

火 - Fire  
風 - Wind  
水 - Water  
雷 - Lightning  
土 - Earth

And beside each Kanji character had the symbol for 'kage' next to them, which immediately indicated to me that the runes I now had to collect before this night was over were within the five powerful hidden villages.

A fact that surprised, mystified and caused unmistakable dread for me. Because of who I am and the countless offences I had committed for nearly 100 years, it was clear that this was definitely going to be a challenge in itself to accomplish, and it would take a few moments before I actually set off to retrieve these runes to think through a suitable tactic that will get me into the Villages, explain myself to the respective kages and successfully obtain the rune - all without getting staked and my head lobbed off for my troubles.

While getting staked and decapitated would be one way of gaining my freedom, it wasn't one that exactly had me jumping for joy. Plus, if the current feelings I now had for Naruto were real and had not been brought on simply because I felt extreme guilt or sympathy, then getting myself killed would almost certainly eliminate any chances of expanding on those feelings.

_Think Sasuke, what would be the most appropriate course of action for a mission like this? _I thought to myself.

One option could be to sneak into their respective offices, thoroughly search it and find the rune, and get out of there without getting sprung by the ANBU guards. Or option two would be to speak personally to the kage in question, explain the circumstances to him or her and hope that it would be enough to save myself from certain death so I could get the damn rune.

_Either way, it's a suicide mission…_

Because it was likely I would be seen, regardless of how careful and sneaky I was, and if I happened to be spotted by a civilian or a particularly loud mouthed ninja then I was good as slain anyway, and there wouldn't be any talking my way out of it too. It would be a case of capture, judgement and execution - which would put Naruto _almost_ defenseless and in serious danger, when Akumu eventually came back from whatever the hell she was doing.

It then occurred to me that there was a third option: tell the kage the truth.

Explain to them what had happened to me that day Akumu changed me, and also explain that what had happened to me over the past 100 years was because I had no choice and I had been forced into the acts for the sake of my own personal sanity. I just hoped that it would be enough to exonerate myself for my past crimes.

_Yeah, I'll do that…_

Satisfied with my decision, I moved away from the Pedestal and looked back at the Castle where Naruto currently lay sleeping, unaware that I was now not only fighting for myself, but also for him as well.

_I'll free us both, Naruto. I promise you that…_

I turned and headed for the Avery's entrance, immediately attracting the attention of the surprisingly quiet birds. It seemed that my loud outburst had been enough to scare them into submission. But now that I was leaving, it was apparently their cue to start squawking again.

"**YOU CAN DO IT, SASUKE-KUN!"  
**"**WE BELIEVE IN YOU!"  
**"**GO SASUKE-KUN GO!"  
**"**HURRY BACK!"  
****"WE'LL MISS YOU!"  
**"**BE BACK BEFORE SHE COMES BACK!"**

I turned back and glared at the surrounding trees, smirking when the room was immediately rendered silent again.

"Hn. Don't wait up…" I muttered to the irritating birds.

* * *

_**~FIRE COUNTRY RUNE~**_

I vaulted over the iron barred gate, ignoring the snarling gargoyle who had recovered from being bitch slapped by me earlier, and headed for Konohagakure to collect my bounty from Tsunade. My original plan had been to simply sneak into the Village, seeing how their security was laughably easy to evade, but decided that if I were going to become a human again one day (hopefully sooner than later) then I needed to gain permission into the Village and get in the Hokage's good books BEFORE requesting for the rune that she apparently had.

Taking to the trees, I made good time until I was about a mile away from the Village gates upon which I stepped back onto the road and walked the rest of the way towards the gate.

I smirked in amusement when I finally made it the gate and saw two of the guard ninjas sitting at their post and apparently dozing. One of the jounin had their arms folded on the table in front of him and was resting his head on them, snoring softly. The other one looked like he was fighting to keep his eyes open. I 'carelessly' kicked a small rock beneath my feet and struggled to keep the smirk off my face when the drowsy jounin who had been fighting to keep his eyes open suddenly sat up ramrod straight and noticed me.

Frowning, he narrowed his eyes as he studied me carefully before the telltale expression of fear settled in his eyes and instantly appeared in front of me and brandishing a kunai at my throat. Unimpressed, I eyed the weapon poised at the dip in my throat and then eyed him raising an eyebrow.

"Uh? I surrender?" I drawled, raising my arms mockingly in front of my body and still fighting the chuckle lodged in my throat at how incompetent these jounin were.

Obviously not liking my tone, the jounin pressed the tip in further releasing a few droplets of my blood which trickled down my neck.

"What business does the Vampire Uchiha have in Konoha?" he demanded.

Upon saying the words 'Vampire Uchiha', which still makes me roll my eyes even now, the jounin's dozing partner immediately stirred and looked around. Seeing that his partner was currently holding me at kunai point, he sprang to his feet and joined him in his short interrogation of my presence here in the Village.

"I need to speak with the Hokage, if it's no trouble of course." I replied pleasantly and unthreateningly.

The two exchanged suspicious glances with each other before sharing the same glance with me. I smiled innocently back at them, which made them shiver with fear.

"Why?" they asked.

I crossed my arms over my chest and raised a finger in the air moving it back and forth condescendingly.

"That's on a 'need to know' basis. My business is my own." I answered mockingly.

"And what makes you think that we're just gonna let you head into our village and request an audience with her ladyship?" They pressed the issue.

I sighed, this was getting tiresome. I pretended to be seriously thinking about my answer before responding to the highly sceptical, but still terrified looking jounin standing in front of me, wielding moderately dangerous weapons.

"Well, I can think of several reasons why you should step aside and 'escort' me to the Hokage's office so I could speak with her privately." I explained.

"But since I'm running on a tight schedule, I'll only tell you both two. One, I have valuable information for the Hokage that I think she will find EXTREMELY interesting and therefore worth risking my neck being here-"

I paused briefly letting the information sink in before fixing them with a devilish grin that made them shudder.

"-and two, I know for a fact that I can easily rip you both limb from limb and both gorge myself in your blood and swim in it without feeling any remorse whatsoever." I said smiling sweetly and relishing in the fact that what I had just said had caused both jounin to turn a ghostly white.

"So what will it be, gentlemen? Option one? Or option two?"

Both jounin hesitated, obviously still stubbornly reluctant to actually let me into the Village, let alone speak with Tsunade on a one on one basis. I sighed - I'm only bluffing with the second option, but I wasn't about to let them in on this, so I decided to sweeten the deal and make them feel a bit more at ease. It was going to be incredibly annoying for me, but I was willing to suck it up if it got me in to see the blasted woman.

"If will make you feel better, I'll allow you to handcuff me with chakra suppressors." I said.

This seemed to perk up the jounin a little.

"Now, may I have access to the Hokage please?" I asked.

Both jounin nodded.

"Deal."

One of them pulled out a pair of chakra suppressors from their possession and slapped them onto my wrists. Instantly, I felt my chakra ebbing away and I winced slightly, feeling a little bit weak.

"Follow me."

I felt myself being half-dragged, half-lead through the village streets. Curious villagers and off-duty ninjas watched as I was lead through the village - some frowning suspiciously, while others seemed to recognise me and were backing away in fear and nervousness.

I rolled my eyes.

_Please let this be worth it. This is worse than when I had groupies stalking me… _I thought morosely.

The Hokage Monument came into view and felt like the five heads were eyeing me off as the Hokage Tower obstructed the view and we walked over the threshold towards the Hokage's office. Presumably, the Hokage would still be at her desk, I wasn't sure - as I hadn't exactly known what went on when the Hokage when I was still human reigned. The 'dozing jounin' rapped smartly on the large oak double doors with his knuckles and a lazy sounding "Enter" came from behind the door.

The Jounin stuck his head through the door and addressed Tsunade.

"Excuse me, M'lady. But there's a 'stranger' here to speak with you on his own accord." He explained, with a nervous tone in his voice.

Obviously, he didn't want to be violently maimed by her when she eventually found out who wanted to talk to her - and if this actually happened, I wouldn't mind seeing this happen. I grinned, just as I heard Tsunade's cautious voice answer.

"Since when has a total stranger made you so skittish, Kotetsu?" she questioned suspiciously. I heard Kotetsu gulp.

"Uh, you'll understand when you see him." He replied.

There was silence for a few minutes before Tsunade finally permitted me in.

"Okay…" whispered Kotetsu underneath his breath as he shoved me roughly into the room.

"Oi! Watch it!" I snapped, before turning and facing Tsunade who started the moment she saw me and immediately rose to her feet.

"The Vampire Uchiha." she said quietly.

I raised an eyebrow, but then frowned cautiously myself when an evil smirk suddenly spread across Tsunade's 'lovely' face.

"Or should I call you Sasuke?" she asked sardonically.

I smirked back, but didn't feel at all amused by the tone in her voice. I shrugged.

"Sasuke's fine. I suppose…" I muttered.

"It is my name, after all…" I added sarcastically, mentally reminding myself to smack Naruto upside the head the next time I saw him.

IF I ever saw him again.

…_I hope…_

Tsunade retook her seat behind the desk and interlaced her fingers beneath her chin, fixing me with a calculating glance.

"If you're looking for Naruto, don't bother. I've already sent him on a mission. We don't know how long it will take him to complete it."

She saw it her place to explain this to me, judging by the smug smirk on her face. I bit back a snarl at her rudeness before forcing a pleasant smile onto my face.

"Thank you for sharing that with me. But I hadn't been thinking about Naruto at all…" I lied, enjoying how quickly the smirk slid off her face when I said this.

"Well if you're not here for Naruto, then what the hell are you doing here?" she asked sternly, now more business-like.

I stole a glance at Kotetsu, who was still standing in the doorway looking like he was about to wet himself. Old news, I have that effect on people.

"Business for your ears only, if you don't mind." I replied, indicating Kotetsu.

Tsunade dismissed him and he practically sprinted from the room, counting his blessings out loud that I hadn't bled him dry.

"I weep for the species…" I muttered distastefully, and I noticed with some amusement that Tsunade nodded slightly in agreement.

"Now spill. What business do you have with me?" She demanded.

I nodded, but a jangle of chains interrupted my train of thought and I looked down to see that I still had the chakra suppressors on my wrists. I held up my wrists to Tsunade who raised an eyebrow at me as if to say, 'what's your point?'

"I'd be all too happy to reveal my presence here for you. But would you be so kind as to remove these infernal things from my wrist, please?" I asked, somewhat desperately.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at me before I sighed frustrated.

"Just humour me. I'm not as evil as you all make me out to be. I swear." I tried to reassure her.

"That is yet to be seen." Tsunade retorted, but after a few moments contemplation she rose from her chair and came over to me and unlocked the chakra suppressors from my wrists.

Instantly, I felt better.

"Thank you." I said, sincerely and massaged my wrists. Tsunade returned to her seat with a slightly mystified expression on her face.

"It's strange. You don't act like the average Vampire." she commented and I cracked an amused grin.

Tsunade indicated for me to take a seat, which I did.

"Explain please." she asked, getting straight to the point. I sighed before answering.

"The reason why I wasn't interested in pursuing the topic about Naruto was because I already knew that he was on a mission." I began, deciding to come clean early.

Immediately, Tsunade flushed a dangerous shade of red.

"What?!" she growled.

"How could you possibly know that?" she demanded.

I fixed her with a level glare before answering.

"Because I am the missing 'nephew' he is currently looking for…" I explained. "Only, the 'mission' was a rouse to get him out of the Village so he could help me with a problem, that I had been trying to deal with for several decades."

Tsunade groaned and hid her face in one of her well-manicured hands.

"I've sent him to his death…" she muttered, obviously choosing not to hear what I had just said.

I growled angrily, growing tired of people's assumptions.

"Didn't you listen to me before when I said that I'm not fucking evil!?" I growled.

Tsunade smashed a fist onto her desk, almost breaking it in two. I barely flinched at the action still glaring into the woman's amber eyes.

"Yes I have, Uchiha! But it still doesn't excuse the fact that you are a Vampire and have killed an inexcusable amount of innocent people in cold blood for the past 100 years…"

"Not by choice, for fuck sake! I didn't choose to live this life. It was forced upon me!" I snarled, which finally silenced the stubborn woman in her tracks as she stared at me dubiously.

"Do you mean to tell me… that you're the _victim _in all this madness?" she asked in a disbelieving tone.

I nodded lowering my head so that my face was in shadow. Tsunade looked at me for a couple more seconds before sighing and massaging her temples in frustration. She sank down into her chair once more.

"Alright Uchiha…" she finally said with even tones in her voice, and indicated for me to resume my seat, continuing only when I sat somewhat rigidly in the chair, clenching and unclenching my hands into fists trying to calm myself down before I did something I might regret.

"Clearly this is a serious situation here, and ultimately we need to get to the bottom of this situation if we are going to get anywhere fast."

I nodded, but didn't say anything as she hadn't finished speaking yet.

"First of all you must understand that my first priority is the safety of this Village and all of its occupants from the civilians and qualified ninja living within these walls…"

Another nod.

"So what I need you to do, is tell me absolutely everything about yourself. Including this so called problem you've recruited Naruto into without my permission. That way we can kill two birds with one stone, metaphorically speaking, and help you with your problem and send you on your way." She bargained.

"Your terms are acceptable." I agreed graciously.

Tsunade almost cracked a small smile before indicating for me to begin my explanation. I was one step closer in retrieving my first rune for this mission. But before I could actually say anything, the large oak double doors burst open and in stumbled a pink blur who skidded to a halt in front of Tsunade's desk and fixed the Hokage with an anxious expression.

"M'lady, I've just heard a rumour that the Vampire Uchiha had been spotted coming into the Village and I wanted to see if it was true." she blurted out.

_Uh? Am I invisible?_

I fixed the girl with an incredulous frown before the girl suddenly recognised who I was and instantly sprang into a protective stance in front of Tsunade who had to refrain from laughing out loud.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you Hokage-sama." she promised and pulled out a kunai from her weapon's pack.

I eyed her with distaste before rising to my feet and relieving her of her weapon before she could even blink.

"Spare me." I drawled before sinking back into my seat and staring bored out of the window.

Tsunade calmly placed a hand on the utterly confused girl's shoulder.

"Relax, Sakura. As you can plainly see, I was fully aware of Sasuke's presence so you can stand down."

_Sasuke? So now we're on a first name basis are we?_

Sakura still looked unsure.

"But m'lady…"

"We're perfectly safe, Sakura. He's already assured me that he will not harm us." Tsunade explained rather impatiently.

Sakura eyed me fearfully before reverting to a more formal position in front of the desk.

"Now, Sasuke was just about to tell me something rather important. You're welcome to listen in too, as it concerns Naruto as well." Tsunade explained, causing Sakura to gasp with both disbelief and interest, and me in outrage.

I was about to voice my protest before Tsunade gave me a look that told me in no uncertain terms that anything I was going to be telling her involved Naruto's team mates as well. Rolling my eyes and gesturing dismissively, I sat back with my arms crossed over my chest and waited for Tsunade to tell me to begin.

I was also not surprised when she suddenly called out randomly for both Kakashi and a creepy chunnin named Sai to join us, since it was quite obvious that they had been eavesdropping on our conversation anyway. Both Kakashi and Sai eyed me suspiciously before taking their positions somewhere in the office, waiting for me spill my guts.

"When you're ready, Uchiha." Tsunade invited me to begin...

* * *

**Me: Please review. I need to know if my story is worth reading!**

**Sasuke: Why shouldn't they? Your chapter isn't that bad... surprisingly**

**Me: Hey!? Where'd you materialise from?**

**Sasuke: Your imagination? I thought it would be fairly obvious by now.**

**Naruto: Will you guys shut up!? I'm trying to sleep over here!**

**(Sasuke and I shut up and leave the room)**

**Me: Remember to review!**

**(Gets pulled out of range by Sasuke when heavy object is hurled in general direction by Naruto)**


	10. Interview with a Vampire

**DISCLAIMER: **Even though I desperately wished I did – I do not own 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden'. If they were real, Naruto would be my best friend and Sasuke would be mine!

**PAIRINGS: **SasuNaru (main), AkuSasu (forced relationship), SaiSaku

**A/N: **No flames or mean comments, please. Saying 'No offence' only intensifies the offence felt.

**THEME SONG: **A Thousand Faces - Creed

* * *

**INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE**

"_Suppose death had a heart to love and to release you, to whom would he turn this passion, would you chose a person from the crowd there. A person to suffer as you suffer."_

_**~SASUKE'S P.O.V~**_

I turned my head away from the window which I had been brooding out of.

I saw the suspicious, resentful and frightened expressions on the faces of Sakura and Sai, Naruto's former teammates, now close friends; and the patient but wary expressions on both the Hokage's and Kakashi's faces as they waited for me to begin my life story.

I hesitated for only a moment before realising that these people sitting or slouching on the office wall in front of me were one of the few people in this powerful village who genuinely cared for Naruto for everything that he was and would perhaps become in the future.

So consequently, I felt that I would be able to trust them with my life story without fearing that they would use it for later evidence on how to finally erase me from this world once and for all. Smiling at them bitter sweetly, I turned my attention towards them.

"Understand is that my story is a rather sad one, and that some of the things that I have done, I'm not proud of, but they had to be done as a matter of principle and of survival. " I explained.

They nodded. I took an unnecessary breath in before beginning my story.

"I was born on July the 23rd in the year 1893. For about eight years afterwards, I lived quite harmoniously with my beloved mother, father and my older brother, Itachi…"

_~FLASHBACK~_

* * *

_**Konoha, 1901**_

Being a somewhat innocent child back then, I had never even heard of Vampires except for what my headmaster had taught me in the Academy here in Konoha, where I was being taught the way of the Ninja in an effort to impress my father and escape from the overbearing weight of my brother's shadow.

My father had this opinion that I should be able to effectively live up to my brother's example. Every failure was seen as a disappointment in his eyes, and I became resentful of Itachi because of it. But there were times where Itachi would stand up to Father and tell him to ease up on me, but these requests were denied and I was left in the shadows once more.

One day, I was returning from the Academy after passing an important exam with flying colours which would ensure that I would most definitely become a qualified Ninja.

"Excellent work today, Uchiha. Your father ought to be extremely proud of your achievement when you show him your test results tonight." My teacher reassured me.

"I hope so, sir." I had said, somewhat doubtfully.

I was delayed in going home because of the countless amounts of groupies praising me and asking me countless questions about my achievement, when all I really wanted to do was to go home and show my progress to my parents and hopefully gain their praise.

However, when I finally got there expecting to see my mother's smiling face and my father's usual stoic expression, instead I saw a sight that to this very second still haunts me. I had found my brother standing over the decapitated corpses of our beloved parents - the blood still slick on the blade of the sword he held in his shaking hands.

"What-what-what have you done!?" I screamed at Itachi.

I remember seeing my brother's horrified expression on his face when he realised how incriminating he must look standing there with our parents' blood still dripping freely from the weapon in his hands, and then he lowered the sword and started coming towards me.

"Now, just calm down, Sasuke. Let me explain what happened." He said pleadingly.

But at that point I didn't want to know what he was going to say. I had no words I could possibly say to the person I now viewed as my parents' slayer. No excuses that I wanted from him. No explanation.

I wanted nightmare.

I wanted death.

But most importantly, what I had craved at that moment was _blood_.

Ironic huh?

I leapt at Itachi, letting an anguished scream from my very soul echo out into the night - not caring who heard, or why. Using what weapon I could find at that moment, which turned out to be a branch that I recognised had been from our family's cherry blossom tree.

"Sasuke! For God's sake, calm down and let me explain!" Itachi tried to reason with me, but I ignored him eventually driving him away from a home I felt he no longer belonged to, because he had killed what I deemed to be the most important members of my family - ruthlessly snuffed out before their time.

I was only eight.

* * *

_**Konoha, 1909**_

Another eight years passed.

I was sixteen and I was returning home after accomplishing what I vowed to do that day I had found my parents ruthlessly cut down: destroying my older brother - after three years of training under a brilliant, but completely insane and perverted snake sannin named Orochimaru.

I was now extremely powerful, incredibly agile and very, very dangerous - and this was before I had become a Vampire. But of course, fate had other plans for me.

First, I discovered only after I returned that that my parents had been murdered by none other than a Vampire, who had been searching for a meal. My parents just happened to be the unlucky ones who had stumbled on the Vampire's path. Which meant, unfortunately, that I had killed my brother somewhat needlessly and that he was innocent all along.

So you can imagine that I was feeling extremely remorseful and depressed over what I had done and at that time, I had wished that I could take back my misinformed actions. But the worst was yet to come. And it would change my life forever…

I had only just reached my home, which was the old Uchiha mansion when I suddenly sensed a sinister, almost evil presence lurking behind me - which made me feel extremely uncomfortable and also incredibly annoyed as I suspected it to be one of my groupies who had somehow found out I had returned.

It frustrated me, because I would've thought that by now they would have forgotten me, or if they hadn't forgotten who I was, would've been so horrified and disgusted about the stories and rumours spread about how I had turned out that I didn't appeal to them anymore (at least, one could only hope). All I had wanted was to remain left alone without the presence of anyone so I could be content with the somewhat happy memories of how my family used to be, but now I had to deal with a new nuisance.

A nuisance that I would eventually come to know for the next 100 years as Akumu.

"Hello stranger, haven't seen you around here lately." Akumu had said pleasantly.

I remembered swearing colourfully under my breath before turning to face the woman, and I frowned realising that her voice had a strange almost inhuman tone in the way that she spoke. But at the time, I only viewed her as an annoying groupie that needed to be turned away immediately, so I could wallow in my self-pity, privately.

I turned away from her.

"Get out." I muttered coldly and loud enough for her to hear me, and proceeded to remove my sandals. I heard her chuckle and it sent an unpleasant shiver down my spine that I hastily shoved aside as I pretended not to hear her - but the chuckle sounded so… cruel and sinister.

Worse than Orochimaru in one of his sadistic moods.

I sensed her walking towards me using slow, measured steps and immediately something told me that this woman was dangerous, even though by appearances she looked completely harmless and I found myself subtly reaching for my katana.

When her slow footsteps didn't cease their movements forward, I immediately spun around and brandished the tip of my blade at her throat. But that only encouraged her to spread an evil, almost triumphant smirk on her face. I faltered slightly, but regained composure as I started to lay down my terms.

"I do not particularly want to fight you. Not because I would not enjoy hacking you limb from limb - I would not have any problem with that – it would be because I am tired and I wish to go to sleep. Now fuck off, or lose a limb." I warned the foolish woman.

But my threat fell of deaf ears and the woman continued moving forward, ignoring my sword completely. What she said next would alter what was left of my life forever - but not in a good way.

"How do you feel about, an immortal life?" She whispered into my ear and I blinked, mystified by her question.

"What?"

She smiled and I remembered that her teeth at that time were whiter than my shirt, and I couldn't help but be completely hypnotised and felt strange…

"Hmmm? How about being more powerful than you have ever been in your entire existence?" she murmured.

Now, all of you must understand that back then, any chances I saw to gain more power - I immediately took the opportunity with both hands, because I viewed it as another step towards avenging my family. Not even Naruto knows about this. Hell, I'm not even technically sure that he fully trusts me, but for the sake of the story, I'll explain it to you. You see, taking up the chance to become powerful beyond my wildest dreams was a big temptation, because I had already had enough power to take down my target, and even then I had taken my revenge on the wrong person.

Taking more power would be overkill.

Even now, I'm still trying to find out who really had cut my parents' lives short and when I found them, try to atone for my actions towards my brother by spilling their vile blood upon the ground.

So I did what anyone would do in my place: Rejected the opportunity.

"No thank you. I am fine the way I am." I replied, foolishly sliding my sword back into its holster and turning away from my enemy - a rookie mistake that I would soon pay dearly for… with my life. And I exacerbated things even further by ignoring the bitch's advances.

"Now I will say this for the final time. Remove yourself from my parents home!"

The next thing I knew Akumu had wrapped her cold hands around my throat and tightened her grip. I fought for my survival that only exhausted myself and earned inhuman laughter to hit me square in the face from the woman standing in front of me.

I was terrified, but not for the first time in my life - Akumu had become a foe that I could not fight against no matter how strong I was.

"What are you?" I croaked, as I clawed desperately at her arms and tried to suppress the shudder I could feel crawling up my spine at the feel of her unnaturally cold skin which was now pressed with brute force against my windpipe.

Her face came closer to mine and I felt the bile rise in my throat as her putrid breath filled my nose and tickled the fine hairs on the back of my neck. I saw my life flash before my eyes as I felt my body freeze the moment I felt something pin-point sharp touch the pulse point of my neck.

"It all depends on what you believe, Sasuke." She breathed into my ear in a sing-song voice and I flinched when she licked the shell of my ear.

"Can you imagine yourself not aging, having more power than you can possibly dream of, and owning the strength of ten ninjas combined while the world around you shifts and changes?" She urged me to imagine such a possibility and I couldn't help but see it. And for a second, just one, I could see it, and it was…tempting.

But it also held the promise that I would never grow accustomed to the fact that I would never die and would be doomed to see the world around me fade away, leaving me behind with nothing to look forward to, and never growing old. It also, I found myself realising, eliminated any chances of settling down and raising a family of my own so I could repopulate my clan like I had promised myself and my parents the day I buried them - and every Christmas after that - that I would do.

And that filled me with a corrosive anger, I had sacrificed everything to achieve what I had just done - and I had no desire to abandon my plans for my future just because some freaky bitch with breath that could curl nose hairs, promised me eternal life.

"I have no desire for what you speak of." I croaked once more, still trying to set myself free. The pin-point sharpness punctured deeper and I bit down on my lip, stifling a scream.

"I was willing to play fair, love. But you have no choice in this matter – you will be mine and no one else's. Prepare yourself, because this is REALLY going to hurt." Akumu snarled into my ear, and I knew for a split second that all my plans disappeared before my eyes, and pretty soon all I could feel was Akumu's fangs sinking agonisingly slow into the soft flesh of my throat.

The pain was indescribable, and I could barely remember anything except for the rusty aroma of the blood Akumu forced me consume to complete the transformation process. But even then I was co-horrent enough to understand what would happen next and I made a last ditch effort to escape.

"Drink damn you! Or you will die, do you want to die this way? Your soul will forever be damned this way if you do not!" she had urged me and I chose immortal life, instead of the damned life as a vampire's food.

_~END FLASHBACK~_

* * *

_**Konoha, Present Day - Tsunade's office**_

I turned my head away from the window I had during my story looked distractedly out of, and was surprised by the expressions I now saw on the faces of my 'captive' audience. I had half-been expecting completely disgusted and stubbornly unrelenting expressions on their faces.

Instead, Sakura had turned a ghostly white and had tear tracks glistening on her horrified face, while Sai who I had heard many times from Naruto, was still learning about emotions and had an expression close to disapproval on his face while he had his arm wrapped tightly around Sakura's shoulders as he tried to console her.

The adults in the room, Tsunade and Kakashi, had grave, sympathetic expressions on their faces that for once I didn't mind seeing there. I stifled a small, triumphant smile on my face as I turned once again to look out the window to regain my composure and taking a deep breath, turned once more to return to my audience, and await their response and the hopeful regain of my coveted rune.

"I can't wait to see what the future is yet to toss at me next…" I muttered dryly and I looked at Tsunade.

"Okay, we've heard that side of your story. Now, the explanation for your need of Naruto, if you please." Her eyes meeting mine.

The expression in her eyes was hard and steely, and it was obvious that while she felt sorry for my sad past, I would still have to convince her otherwise before I could get anywhere fast. Especially if my plans had anything to do with a certain hyperactive, blonde haired ninja.

"There is a chance that I would be able to regain my lost humanity by drinking from a special rare elixir that only vampires can consume. The only speed bump in my plans is that I have to prove myself worthy of the bottle by completing certain tasks to obtain runes for special tablets that will lead me one step closer to gaining the elixir." I explained.

Tsunade frowned "And what does that have to do with Naruto?"

"Part of the tasks that I must complete to consider myself worthy, need to be completed during the day. For obvious reasons, I cannot accomplish this. On the day I first met Naruto, I explained the situation to him. After much hesitation… and much thought, on his part… he consented to assist me with this task on my word that I didn't try to molest or kill him."

Sakura growled protectively at me, which I ignored continuing with what I was saying. I didn't have time for silly girls being hostile towards my actions.

"Since that day, we have been working to that end." I finished.

Tsunade's frown softened slightly.

"Fine. And what is this task that you have to complete, and what has it got to do with me?" she asked cautiously.

"As I mentioned before, I have to collect special runes for tablets to obtain my next step towards my ultimate goal. This time 'round, the runes I need to find are five different runes from each of the five powerful hidden villages." I explained.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

"Which means that you, as the current reigning Hokage, have access towards to the Fire Country rune."

The frown immediately vanished from Tsunade's face. Taking her eyes off me, she turned towards two confused ninjas and one territorial kunoichi with a calm expression settling over her face.

"Thank you, Kakashi, Sai and Sakura. Your presence here is no longer required. You are dismissed." She requested.

Both Kakashi and Sai got to their feet and proceeded to the door, but Sakura remained stubbornly in her seat, obviously still not entirely trusting that I wouldn't immediately kill Tsunade the moment their backs were turned. I almost laughed out loud at this. Judging by how confident she appeared to be in my presence now, it was clear that she could take care of herself should the need arise.

Foolish, foolish girl.

"But, Tsunade-sama…" Sakura protested.

"Sakura, I believe her ladyship has just asked you to leave now." Kakashi pointed out firmly.

Sakura admitted reluctant defeat before rising to her feet and shooting me a filthy look before moving towards the door. I watched Kakashi give Tsunade a 'cautious' look before closing the door behind him.

Now that we were alone, the Hokage gave me her full attention. She directed me to sit down in one of the chairs in front of her desk, which I did. Tsunade retook her position behind her desk and surveyed me thoughtfully before finally speaking once again.

"Given your history prior to the unfortunate events that have led to your current situation, I've decided to trust that you have been truthful to me with your story and I thank you for your trust in me, and return that trust by giving you a letter of introduction which will be signed and sealed by myself and the other four kages in turn. Along with my country's rune." She told me.

I nodded in understanding and a small amount of frustration.

"Remain here. I will return shortly."

* * *

**Me: Nice long, lengthy reviews please :D**

**Sasuke: Not a bad movie...**

**Me: What movie?**

**Sasuke: "Interview with a Vampire" with Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise?**

**Me: Didn't think it'd be in your tastes, Uchiha O_o**

**Sasuke: There's a lot you don't know about me, **** and since when have you called me 'Uchiha'?**

**Me: Since you never gave me permission to call you 'Sasuke'. ****It's impolite.**

**Sasuke: **_::makes a face::_** Well, I'm giving you permission now. ****It just seems weird coming out of your mouth...**

**Me: **_::grinning::_** Cheers ;)**

**Naruto: ** _::looking scared::_** I liked the movie, I just don't particularly like scary films...**

**Me: **_::concerned::_** Really? Normally I'd be the same way, but it didn't faze me at all. ****Shows how decensortized my generation really is...**

**Sasuke: **_::smiling both fondly and protectively at Naruto:: _** Don't worry, dobe. She (refering to the author) and I will protect you.**

**Naruto: **_::frowns suspiciously::_** Are you two taking the mickey out of me?**

**Me & Sasuke: **_::confused:: _** No, why?**

**Me: **_::approaches Naruto and rests hand on his shoulder:: _**I consider you one of my good friends, why would I poke fun at you?**

**Naruto: **_::glomps author::_** No, reason. I was just checking. I'm glad you're my friend :D**

**Sasuke: **_::upset and pouting very un-Uchiha-like:: _** What am I? Chopped liver?**

_::gets glomped by Naruto and author::_

**Me & Naruto: Does that answer your question?**

**Sasuke: **_::with a huge beaming smile that he tries to disguise as nonchalance:: _** Yes...**

**Me: Please review :D**


	11. Sand Through the Hourglass

**DISCLAIMER: **Even though I desperately wished I did – I do not own 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden'. If they were real, Naruto would be my best friend and Sasuke would be mine!

**PAIRINGS: **SasuNaru (main), AkuSasu (forced relationship), SaiSaku

**THEME SONG: '**I'd Come For You' - Nickelback

* * *

**SAND THROUGH THE HOURGLASS**

"_He knew these last lines by heart and mouthed them now in the darkness.  
My reason for life. Not living, but life.  
That was the touch.  
And she was his reason for life, and why he must survive."_

I shuddered, feeling both extremely ashamed and unbearably thirsty as the robust smell of finely matured 'wine' invaded my nostrils and I gulped and turned away covering my mouth and nose with my hand.

Tsunade, who had returned from where she had disappeared to, was now finishing rapidly signing a special scroll and sealing it with her own blood which she had just bit into her thumb for such purpose and smeared it onto an unfamiliar seal.

"Alright then."

I looked back at the sound of her deep leader's voice, only to be greeted with a quizzical expression on the powerful, but extremely wise (and vain) kunoichi's face. It was only after I removed my hand from my mouth and nose, revealing my fangs which only appeared when I smelt blood and had yet to feed that she realised what happened and pulled an awkward, apologetic face.

"I apologise. You must be feeling uncomfortable." Tsunade said, flushing red in embarrassment.

I nodded slightly, before waving away her concerns.

"Forget it." I said dismissively, but gratefully.

Tsunade reverted back to her professional mannerisms as she immediately pulled a small, grey stone rune from her possession and slid it across the table towards me, along with the scroll she had been busily signing.

"The rune, as I had promised…" Tsunade explained.

I picked up the small square and examined it curiously. I could see just in the middle of the rune that the kanji symbol for fire had been chiselled into the surface and had been painted a deep red colour. A huge, triumphant grin spread across my face, I was one step closer to my goal.

I stashed the rune carefully into my shirt and picked up the scroll, frowning slightly as I looked at Tsunade for an explanation.

"That scroll is the 'Letter of Introduction' I mentioned to you." She explained, smiling slightly.

I nodded.

"In it, you must get the remaining kages to sign it and smear their blood on the seal like I just did." I frowned at her and saw her smirking at me.

"Yes, I saw you watching me, Uchiha. But you also need to sign the scroll as well."

"What for?" I asked in surprise.

"It is to prove that you promise to uphold what has been agreed between you, me and the other four kages should you successfully achieve your humanity-" she explained.

"Woah! Hang on a second. Agreed to what?" I interrupted, frowning.

Tsunade smiled once again, apparently not annoyed that I had interrupted her. She explained almost mother-like:

"By accepting this rune from me and the other kages, you are essentially saying that you will accept humanity with all its faults without question. As a further act of goodwill, and to give strength to my introduction, may I suggest that you sign now."

"Of course. You must have read my mind. I was going to ask if I was going to sign this document before or after I had collected the runes." I replied respectfully, my eyes meeting hers.

She pushed the scroll towards me and I picked it and read the text:

* * *

_To whom it may concern_

_I, Tsunade, Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure, wish to introduce Sasuke Uchiha. _

_I have interviewed him in the presence of witnesses, and believe him to be of sound mind and willingness to atone for his wrong doings as the infamous Vampire Uchiha. _

_I have entrusted him with the rune of the Fire Country and adhered my signature and seal accordingly. I have obtained his agreement and signature as below, I request most humbly and respectfully that you do the same to enable him to regain his humanity that had been forcibly and wrongly taken from him many years ago._

* * *

Underneath that was Tsunade's signature, with four lines underneath for the other four Kages to sign. Beside that was a special seal in which part of it was already coloured in with red - which symbolised the Fire Country. Below Tsunade's statement, was a statement of my own and space for my signature which I duly filled in:

* * *

_I, Sasuke Uchiha, solemnly declare that I will embrace humanity and ALL its faults._

* * *

I extended a hand to receive a pen. Grasping it to my surprise, rather unsteadily, I signed my signature and returned the pen to her after reading the contents of the scroll.

"Thank You, Uchiha." said Tsunade, who rolled up the scroll and placed a seal over the top of it that could only be opened by the Kazekage, whomever he or she would be and handed it back to me with one final word:

"I give you this on the assumption that you accompany Naruto back to Konoha unharmed, should you succeed in your mission." I took the scroll nodding my consent and begged my leave, turning swiftly after her acknowledgement and left the office.

* * *

_**~WIND COUNTRY RUNE~**_

If I had've been a regular ninja, the journey towards the Capital of Wind Country, Sunagakure, would have taken me at least three days to get to. Because I wasn't, it was one of the few things about being a vampire that I actually liked and would miss when I returned to my humanity. So consequently I made it there in over an hour.

As I approached the entrance to the Village, I paused for a few seconds trying to figure out how to approach the situation at hand without being taken down where I stood by the Sand Guard Ninja, who were most obviously more strict about security than Konoha were.

I approached the gate and I was instantly surrounded by a bunch of suspicious, territorial sand guards who eyed me up. I nervously tugged down the hood of my borrowed cloak (Tsunade felt that I'd be less conspicuous if I had an ANBU style cloak and hood to hide my identity for the time being) over my face as the leader approached me with a frown on his face.

"State your business!" he ordered in this rude voice that I immediately frowned at.

Where's the need for that?

"I wish to see the Kazekage, if it is at all possible." I replied as I pulled the 'letter of introduction' from my possession and presented it to the guard as evidence.

"I need to deliver this to him."

The guard took the scroll and inspected it. When he saw the seal that could only be broken by a kage, he nodded in confirmation. However, he looked back at me with a smirk, which I immediately tensed up at.

"How are we supposed to know if this is a trick or not? Why hide your face, unless you've got something to hide."

I scowled at the guard in annoyance - which only deepened the guy's smirk, but before I could reply in the negative and say that it was my business why I had my face hidden, which was a white-lie; a tough, feminine 'don't-fuck-with-me' voice pierced the night air.

"What's going on here?"

All the guards instantly straightened up as a girl with blonde hair swept back into four ponytails on top of her head shouldered her way through the crowd and fixed both me and the guard with a stern look.

She had teal eyes and was wearing a thin, navy blue kimono with a red obi and carrying an enormous fan on her back.

"Temari-sama, this stranger wants access to see the kazekage." The guard explained, and I couldn't tell whether or not I was screwed.

Temari raised an eyebrow at me before the guard went on to explain more.

"He was carrying this scroll - claiming it was from the Hokage herself."

He held up my bargaining scroll with scepticism thick in his voice and handed it to Temari upon request. She looked the scroll over in her hand before staring at the guard like he was a moron. Which wouldn't have surprised me in the slightest.

"This seal is legit. What stopped you from escorting him to the Kazekage?" she demanded.

The guard started to sweat.

"He won't reveal his face from behind his hood." the guard replied nervously. Temari smirked at the guard smelling the fear on him.

I wondered why.

"There's probably a reason why he doesn't wish to." she reasoned before indicating for me to follow her. She handed the scroll back as she escorted me to the Kazekage's office.

"So what's your name?" Temari asked pleasantly, obviously trying to make amends for the guard's stupidity by sucking up to me.

"Sasuke."

"I'm Temari." she introduced herself.

I smiled slightly and lowered my face to the ground before answering her.

"Pleasure."

Suna was pretty similar to Konoha, except for the obvious difference that the Village was surrounded by rough, irritating sand, instead of the lush, greenery of the trees I had grown accustomed to growing up with as a child and the years after that.

We moved quickly through the streets and stopped outside the Kazekage's office. Temari and I came upon a large set of double doors which I naturally assumed the Kazekage would be behind. Temari turned to me with a business-like smile on her face.

"Please wait here. I'll be with you shortly." she instructed.

I nodded understanding, and she knocked and disappeared through the moment a deep, barritone male's voice muttered: '_enter_' in a terse voice.

Waiting for what seemed an eternity, my thoughts raced through my mind as I contemplated my possible future. The door opened behind me and Temari's blonde hair poked out.

"You may go in now." she granted me access, and I frowned slightly feeling nervous before stepping through the threshold of the doorway into the circular office.

If it wasn't for the fact that the person sitting behind the desk was male, I could've sworn I had not left the Hokage's office at all. Although, I was extremely surprised to see not a middle aged or elderly man sitting behind the desk, but a child perhaps Naruto's age seated there wearing a sour expression on his pale face and eyeing me off suspiciously.

I took a moment to study the young man's appearance: he was of average height with pale skin and lanky frame, but from the chakra signature I could sense coming from him, he was anything but weak - which was probably why he earned the title of Kazekage in the first place. His hair was blood red and spikey and had the same teal coloured eyes as Temari did with extremely dark bags underneath his eyes, like he hadn't slept in years.

His cloth was regal, as was the custom of Kages, and beside his desk stood a large ceramic goard which I naturally assumed was a weapon of some sort. However, the strangest feature of this young man was the kanji symbol for love which had been tattooed above the young man's left eyebrow on his forehead.

It took me a moment before I realised that he was still waiting for me to speak.

"Kazekage-sama." I addressed formally, frowning slightly at the child trying to work out why he was so familiar. He seemed to work out what I was thinking by what he had said next.

"I also go by Gaara Sabaku, or 'Gaara of the Desert'." He replied politely in his deep baritone voice.

He stood up from his desk chair and moved around to stand in front of the desk and levelled his gaze on me as he crossed his arms defensively across his chest.

"What business do you have with me?" Gaara demanded politely.

I hesitated for a moment suddenly unsure of what my future could hold. I inhaled heavily and met the eyes of my host and then presented the 'letter of introduction' which Gaara eyed suspiciously before taking it for his first perusal.

With raised eyebrow, he glanced at me before biting his thumb hard enough to draw blood and swiped it across the seal - effectively snapping it open. I waited with bated breath as he read through the contents of the scroll thoroughly. Once, I thought I saw his eyes widen in shock and briefly glanced at me, eyes narrowing a bit before he continued reading.

Eventually, he lowered the scroll and after pausing slightly he raised his eyes from the scroll and looked at me carefully.

"You are Sasuke Uchiha?"

"Yes."

"The infamous Vampire Uchiha?"

"Yes."

"You require my village's rune to regain your humanity?"

"Yes."

There was silence for a few seconds.

"Why should I give you this help? What guarantee do I have that you won't renege on your promise?" He asked pointedly, his eyes never leaving mine.

"You don't." I replied, "But my desire to be rid of this unwanted lifestyle is stronger than a desire to deceive."

Another silence while he contemplated his decision, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Another question."

I nodded patiently.

"And what did Tsunade require of you in return for her rune?"

"The safe return of Naruto Uzumaki." was my immediate reply. A reply which caused Gaara to jolt in shock.

"Who is assisting me with the daytime side of my mission."

A grunt and a nod told me that he understood.

"Excuse me."

He turned and walked towards an adjoining door, opening it and disappearing behind it leaving me alone in the room.

After several minutes, he returned to the room, walked towards me, paused and then moved behind his desk once more and contemplated me before repeating the same procedure as Tsunade had done back in Konoha.

Gaara signed the 'letter,' bit his thumb and swiped it over the seal like Tsunade had done, and the colour representing Sunagakure appeared next to the red one that represented Konohagakure. He rolled up the scroll and placed the same seal that could only be opened by a Kage on it before handing it to me.

Then he fixed me with a stern, warning look.

"I reinforce Tsunade's request. And **IF** you renege on it, you'll have me to deal with personally."

I momentarily smirked, then pulled myself in check as the eyes of the Kazekage narrowed and his grip on the rune tightened.

I murmured just audibly:

"That won't ever happen."

And met his gaze.

He looked at me with surprise and then shock as he realised what my true feelings were for Naruto. Releasing his grip on the rune he murmured:

"You have my leave."

I bowed and quickly made my exit.

* * *

**A/C:**__Due to University studies, updates might be late coming out. Please be patient :)


End file.
